System, method, and data packets for messaging for electric power grid elements over a secure internet protocol network

ABSTRACT

Systems, methods, and messages of the present invention provides IP-based messages associated with the grid elements, wherein each IP-based message includes an internet protocol (IP) packet that is generated autonomously and/or automatically by the grid elements, intelligent messaging hardware associated with the grid elements, at least one coordinator, and/or a server associated with the electric power grid and its operation, energy settlement, and/or financial settlement for electricity provided or consumed, transmitted, and/or curtailed or reduced. The IP packet preferably includes a content including raw data and/or transformed data, a priority associated with the IP-based message, a security associated with the IP packet, and/or a transport route for communicating the IP-based message via the network.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application relates to and claims priority from the following U.S.Patent Applications. This application is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 16/952,810, filed Nov. 19, 2020, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16/428,272, filed May31, 2019 and issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,852,760, which is a continuationof U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/797,630, filed Oct. 30, 2017 andissued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,310,534, which is a continuation of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 14/610,216, filed Jan. 30, 2015 and issuedas U.S. Pat. No. 9,804,625, which is a continuation of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/290,598, filed May 29, 2014 and issued as U.S.Pat. No. 8,983,669, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/563,535, filed Jul. 31, 2012 and issued as U.S.Pat. No. 9,513,648, each of which is incorporated herein by reference inits entirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to the field of electrical powermanagement systems, and more particularly, to systems, methods,apparatus, network topography, security and data packets for messagingfor electric power grid elements via communications networks includingbut not limited to secure Internet Protocol, wired or wireless networks.

2. Description of Related Art

Relevant prior art documents associated with grid elements registrationwith systems and methods include the following:

U.S. Pat. No. 7,502,698 for Power consumption measuring device and powercontrol system by inventors Uenou et al., filed Jul. 5, 2005 and issuedMar. 10, 2009, discloses a single phase, 3-wire watt-hour meter thatmeasures power consumption, alters a contract capacity, controls thestop/start of power supply/distribution, and updates programs from ahigher level control apparatus, including a central processing unit, astoring means, a communicating means, and interfaces; the devicemeasures the detailed behavior of a power consumption by totaling apower consumption every 30 minutes (and a clocking process for clockinga standard time and for collecting data within that time), interlockswith a gas leakage detector and a fire alarm, controls opening/closingof rain doors and the operation/stop of Internet home electricappliances, and enables low-cost communication by means of dynamic IPaddress based communication.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,022 for Power management coordinator system andinterface by inventors Dunstan et al., filed Jul. 19, 1994 and issuedSep. 24, 1996, discloses a power management system and interfaceproviding a flexible and uniform protocol for controlling powermanagement within a computer system including various software layersand add-in components; a programmable power policy manager, which allowsuser to define a performance/economy setting for the system that iscommunicated to all registered devices so that dwell and decay times areset by the device; and a programmable event sequencer, which maintainsan event notification sequence and control sequence for power events; aprogrammable power budgeter that maintains and allocates power on arequest basis for system elements; a programmable thermal budgeter thatmaintains and allocates energy based on thermal considerations; and acomputer system including a bus for communicating address and datainformation, a central processor couple to the bus for executinginstructions and processing data, and memory coupled to the bus forcontaining information, and a power management coordinator that includesa power management core for communication of power managementinformation with system devices within the computer system under auniform power management protocol, wherein particular devices are add-indevices requiring power management, and one of the devices providesprogrammable dwell time and decay time periods for power management ofthe add-in devices, wherein power events are generated by clients andbroadcast by power management core to power management clients,including a power event sequencer for maintaining a particular sequenceof communication about the power events.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,095,233 for Interconnected premises equipment for energymanagement by inventors Shankar et al., filed Oct. 10, 2006 and issuedJan. 10, 2012, discloses a system for facilitating direct monitoring andcontrol of energy-consuming appliances, in real time, using automaticprogrammatic control and a plurality of human interfacing includinglocal display and control, email, web browser, text messaging, andintegrated voice response, and describing a monitoring and controlcoordinator that provides centralized coordination of functions and oneor more communicating appliance interfaces that interact with energyconsuming appliances that are interconnected via wired and wirelesscommunication networks and protocols, wherein the system allows a userto regulate energy consumption of a premises for heating and airconditioning systems, including a premises control communication gatewayin communication with the monitoring and control coordinator.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,301,528 for Method and device for controlling electricconsumers in a motor vehicle by inventors Bertram et al., filed Sep. 25,1999 and issued Oct. 9, 2001, discloses a method and an arrangement forcontrolling electric consumers in a vehicle that are suggested with acontrol structure provided for consumers, the control structureincluding at least a high-ranking consumer management that receivesrequests from the consumers with respect to consumer power individuallyor as sums; the control structure including a coordinator for thevehicle electrical system and power generation therefor, and forreceiving the sum of the requested consumer power from the consumermanagement; the vehicle electric system adjusting the requested electricpower via orders to the vehicle electrical system components and theconsumer management taking the generated electrical power via control ofthe consumers.

US Patent Publication No. 2007/0067132 for Method and apparatus forrouting data streams among intelligent electronic devices by inventorsTziouvaras et al., filed Sep. 19, 2006 and published Mar. 22, 2007,discloses an intelligent electronic device (IED) for protection,monitoring, controlling, metering, or automation of lines in anelectrical power system, wherein the IED is adapted to communicated witha variety of other IEDs, including a communication configuration settingthat is configured to allow communication with one of the other IEDs;and further including an input element in communication with thecommunication configuration setting, whereupon a signal from the inputelement selects a particular communication configuration settingtherein, allowing for the communication with other IEDs. Also, includinga data stream management device for routing data streams among IEDsassociated with the electrical power system, wherein the data streamsare substantially unaltered from sent and received forms, and an IEDassociated with the data stream management device and adapted tocommunicate with the other IEDs, wherein assertion of an input elementselects a particular communication configuration setting.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,609,158 for Electrical power system controlcommunications network by inventors Banting et al., filed Oct. 26, 2006and issued Oct. 27, 2009, discloses a communications network for anelectrical power distribution system, the network communicatingmonitoring signals and control signals for a network of electricalcircuits, the network including a sensor node with a sensor deviceconfigured to detect an operating condition of the transmission ordistribution systems, a sensor communication node corresponding to thesensor device, and configured to transmit a first wireless signalcorresponding to the detected operating condition oftransmission/distribution, a control communication node separatelyprovided from the sensor communication node, configured to receive thefirst wireless signal and transmit a second wireless signalcorresponding to the first wireless signal, a gateway device incommunication with the control communication node and receiving thesecond wireless signal, and wherein the sensed electrical signals arebroadcast.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,060,259 for Wide area, real time monitoring andvisualization system by inventors Budhraja et al., filed Jun. 25, 2007and issued Nov. 15, 2011, discloses a real-time performance monitoringsystem for monitoring an electrical power grid, including grid portionshaving control areas, and monitoring of reliability metrics, generationsmetrics, transmission metrics, suppliers metrics, grid infrastructuresecurity metrics, and markets metrics for the electric power grid,wherein the metrics are stored in a database, and visualization of themetrics is displayed on a computer having a monitor.

US Patent Publication No. 2009/0119039 for Approach for ControllingElectrical Power by inventors Banister et al., filed Nov. 7, 2007 andpublished May 7, 2009, discloses an electrical power metering systemincluding a plurality of gated power receptacles, each of them beingconfigured to selectively provide electrical power in response toreceiving a wireless signal, and further including a service applicationconfigured to receive a request to provide electrical power for one ofthe receptacles, the request including an identifier that designates thereceptacle at which power is requested. A local host applicationexecutable on a computing device is configured to send wireless signalsvia a coordinator module to the receptacle to provide power in responseto receiving a communication from the service application that includesthe identifier.

Other prior art documents relating to electric power grid management andcommunications associated therewith are known. By way of example,consider the following US Patent and US Patent Publication documents:

U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,022 for Power management coordinator system andinterface by inventors Dunstan et al., filed Jul. 19, 1994 and issuedSep. 24, 1996.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,301,528 for Method and device for controlling electricconsumers in a motor vehicle by inventors Bertram et al., filed Sep. 25,1999 and issued Oct. 9, 2001.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,502,698 for Power consumption measuring device and powercontrol system issued by inventors Uenou et al., filed Jul. 5, 2005 andissued Mar. 10, 2009.

U.S. Pat. No. 8,095,233 for Interconnected premises equipment for energymanagement by inventors Shankar et al., filed Oct. 10, 2006 and issuedJan. 10, 2012.

US Patent Publication No. 2007/0067132 for Method and apparatus forrouting data streams among intelligent electronic devices by inventorsTziouvaras et al., filed Sep. 19, 2006 and published Mar. 22, 2007.

US Patent Publication No. 2008/0040479 for Connection locator in a poweraggregation system for distributed electric resources by inventorsBridge et al., filed Aug. 9, 2007 and published Feb. 14, 2008, disclosesa method to obtain the physical location of an electric device, such asan electric vehicle, and transforming the physical location into anelectric network location, and further including receiving a uniqueidentifier associated with a device in a physical location. See alsorelated publications WO2008073477, US Patent Publication Nos.2011/0025556, 2009/0043519, 2009/0200988, 2009/0063680, 2008/0040296,2008/0040223, 2008/0039979, 2008/0040295, and 2008/0052145.

International Patent Publication No. WO2011079235 for Distributed energysources system by inventor Williams, filed Dec. 22, 2010 and publishedJun. 30, 2011, discloses an energy management system that includesdistributed energy sources (for example a wind turbine) that communicatewith consumer devices and electric utilities, wherein a CPU is incommunication with the distributed energy source and is operable tocontrol the flow of energy produced by the distributed energy source.

US Patent Publication No. 2011/0282511 for Prediction, communication andcontrol system for distributed power generation and usage by inventorUnetich, filed Mar. 26, 2011 and published Nov. 17, 2011, discloses anapparatus for obtaining, interpreting and communicating a user reliableand predictive information relevant to the price of electricity serviceat a prospective time.

U.S. Pat. No. 7,844,370 for Scheduling and control in a poweraggregation system for distributed electric resources by inventorsPollack et al., filed Aug. 9, 2007 and issued Nov. 30, 2010, disclosessystems and methods for a power aggregation system in which a serverestablishes individual Internet connections to numerous electricresources intermittently connect to the power grid, such as electricvehicles, wherein the service optimizes power flows to suit the needs ofeach resource and each resource owner, while aggregating flows acrossnumerous resources to suit the needs of the power grid, and furtherincluding inputting constraints of individual electric resources intothe system, which signals them to provide power to take power from agrid.

US Patent Publication No. 2009/0187284 for System and method forproviding power distribution system information by inventors Kreiss etal., filed Jan. 17, 2009 and published Jul. 23, 2009, discloses acomputer program product for processing utility data of a power grid,including a datamart comprised of physical databases storing utilitydata applications comprising an automated meter application configuredto process power usage data from a plurality of automated meters, apower outage application configured to identify a location of a poweroutage, and a power restoration application configured to identify alocation of a power restoration. See also US Patent Publication Nos.2011/0270550, 2011/0270457, and 2011/0270454.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides systems, methods, and IP-based messagesassociated with the grid elements, wherein each IP-based messageincludes an internet protocol (IP) packet that is generated autonomouslyand/or automatically by the grid elements, intelligent messaginghardware associated with the grid elements, at least one coordinator,and/or a server associated with the electric power grid and itsoperation, energy settlement, and/or financial settlement forelectricity provided or consumed, transmitted, and/or curtailed orreduced. The IP packet preferably includes a content including raw dataand/or transformed data, a priority associated with the IP-basedmessage, a security associated with the IP packet, and/or a transportroute for communicating the IP-based message via the network. Amultiplicity of active grid elements have predetermined functions toparticipate in the electric power grid for supply, demand, curtailment,control, transmission, distribution, metering, etc., and are compensatedwith a financial settlement for their functional participation in theelectric power grid. Also, communication of the IP-based message and itsIP packet is managed through a network by a Coordinator using IPmessaging for communication with the grid elements, with the energymanagement system (EMS), and with the utilities, market participants,and/or grid operators.

The content of the IP packet includes content elements selected from rawdata, raw data plus additional information, transformed data, a status,a change of status, a function of the grid element associated with thecontent, and combinations of these content elements. Raw data includesinformation generated by, sensed by, measured by, or stored by a gridelement; raw data includes metrology, location, grid element identifier,C.12.19 tables, meter data, software version, firmware version, LSEpriority, and combinations thereof.

According to the present invention, in one embodiment, the contentfurther includes transformed data, wherein the transformation of rawdata associated with at least one grid element occurs automatically whenan application acts on the raw data to convert it from a first state,which is a raw data state (i.e., the raw data means data collected,sensed, measured, or generated by the grid element during itsparticipation in its predetermined function or role within the electricpower grid), to a second state, which is a transformed data state, whichtransformation is automatically performed by a processor operativelycoupled with memory associated with, residing within, or connected to,the initiating grid element, a receiving grid element, a coordinator, orcombinations thereof. In an alternate embodiment, additionaltransformation is performed at a server computer.

In embodiments of the present invention, grid elements communicate IPmessages having IP packets, preferably through network-basedcommunication between the grid elements, a Coordinator, a translator,legacy systems, and/or a settlement processor. Also preferably,messaging is managed through a network by a Coordinator using IPmessaging for communication with the grid elements, with the energymanagement system (EMS), Distribution Management System (DMS), and withthe utilities, market participants, and/or grid operators. TheCoordinator is further operable for communicating data with a database,a persistence layer or cache, an ASIC or memory contained in a gridelement or the processor, or combinations thereof, and to provide anoverall assessment of electric grid operations (normal or emergency)including but not limited to energy flows within the system, gridstabilization information, operating reserves, capacity, transmissionand distribution capacities, grid element capacities, settlement, andcombinations thereof.

Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention is to provide a systemfor electric power grid network management including: at least one gridelement constructed and configured for electrical connection andnetwork-based communication with a server and/or a processor operativelycoupled with memory; wherein the grid element collects, generates,senses, stores and/or measures raw data associated with a predeterminedfunction within the electric power grid that is performed by the gridelement; the raw data is transformed into transformed data associatedwith each of the at least one active grid elements and provided in an IPpacket for communication as an IP message, which is transmitted via anetwork, preferably a communications network, and wherein thetransformation of the raw data is preferably automatic and/orautonomous.

A grid element is any functional component within an electric powergrid. By way of example and not limitation, at least one of the gridelements is a control device that operates, programs and updates selectload consuming device(s) or generating devices associated with theelectric power grid (including but not limited to control systems,thermostats, controllers, anything that controls the device, switchgear, large control systems operating from a control center or box withinterface to a large control system, such as a distribution automationcontrol system; transformation process includes whatever control systemsare attached to the electric devices, their databases, tables, memory,ASICs, firmware, software, operating systems, and combinations thereofand/or other grid elements).

Also, in one aspect of the present invention a method for communicatingan IP message including an IP packet relating to data associated with atleast one grid element within an electric power grid, where the IPmessage communicated over a network associated with the electric powergrid is provided, including the steps of: providing at least one gridelement constructed and configured for electrical connection andnetwork-based communication with a server, a coordinator, and/or atleast one other grid element; the at least one grid elementcommunicating an IP-based message over the network, wherein the messageis preferably standards-based or proprietary; the IP message furtherincluding an IP packet having data associated with at least one gridelement and its intended active functioning within the electric powergrid. The methods further include providing an IP packet that includes acontent, a priority, a security, a transport route, and combinationsthereof. Also, methods further include the step of: automaticallytransforming raw data into transformed data associated with the at leastone grid element. Messages are sent via the network and include InternetProtocol (IP)-based messaging, which provides for secure communication,for example using encryption, private networks, or IP encapsulation overproprietary networks. Thus, the present invention preferably providessecure communications of the IP messages and IP packets, which areimproved over the prior art's use of analog telemetry such as in outagedetection systems, and telemetry sub-systems.

These and other aspects of the present invention will become apparent tothose skilled in the art after a reading of the following description ofthe preferred embodiment when considered with the drawings, as theysupport the claimed invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a coordinator and gridelements within the systems and methods of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating grid elements, attachmentpoints, and telemetry through a network associated with the systems ofthe present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary network nodeconfiguration for grid elements registration and communication.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a distribution automationcommunications network.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing energy system operations andcommunications via network-based connections.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a basic Automated GeneratorControl (AGC)/energy management system (EMS)/distribution managementsystem (DMS) representation.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram illustrating an energy management system(EMS) as part of the system of the present invention.

FIG. 8 illustrates a schematic diagram of an IP-based active powermanagement system in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary active loadclient (ALC) smart meter use case example according to the presentinvention, wherein the ALC is shown as a component of the system of FIG.8.

FIG. 10 illustrates a flow diagram of methods according to the presentinvention for tracking state of ALCs having an IP address within anelectric power grid system.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram an IP-based active energy managementsystem in accordance with the present invention, including components ofALC, ALD, IP-based communication, load control devices and powerconsuming devices.

FIG. 12 is a schematic diagram illustrating components including ALD,ALC, and IP communications for distributed grid intelligence withinsystems of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is a schematic diagram that illustrates smart grid withdecentralized networks according to systems and methods of the presentinvention.

FIG. 14 is another schematic diagram that illustrates smart grid withdecentralized networks according to systems and methods of the presentinvention.

FIG. 15 is yet another schematic diagram that illustrates smart gridwith decentralized networks according to systems and methods of thepresent invention.

FIG. 16 shows a schematic diagram for supply from utility, marketparticipant, CSP, and/or REP, ALD/cloud layer, ICCP, control anddispatch, and micro-grid enablement according to systems and methods ofthe present invention.

FIG. 17 is a graphic illustration of operating reserves categories andbase load.

FIG. 18 is a schematic diagram representing operating reserves forsupply side generation of electric power for a grid, active loaddirector (ALD), active load client (ALC), power consuming devices, andother components of the systems and methods of the present invention forgenerating operating reserves of different categories.

FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of the presentinvention including power consuming devices, control devices, ALC, ALD,customer profile, IP communication network, and grid telemetrycomponents of systems and methods of the present invention.

FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of the presentinvention including energy management system (EMS), power consumingdevices, control devices, ALC, ALD, customer profile, IP communicationnetwork, and grid telemetry components of systems and methods of thepresent invention.

FIG. 21 is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of the presentinvention including EMS, power consuming devices, control devices, ALC,ALD, customer profile, IP communication network, and grid telemetrycomponents of systems and methods of the present invention.

FIG. 22 is a table of consumer-adjustable parameters as examples forsystems and methods components according to the present invention.

FIG. 23 is a flow diagram illustrating method steps for energy consumingdevices and the generation of power supply value (PSV) according toembodiments of the present invention, including learning profile.

FIG. 24 is a flow diagram for methods of the present invention forcalculating the time period for environmentally dependent andindependent devices and determining or generating power supply value(PSV) for those power-consuming devices.

FIG. 25 is a graph showing at least three (3) dimensions for factorsassociated with load consumption and devices managing temperaturecontrol for corresponding power consuming devices, including the changein factors over time.

FIG. 26 is a graph showing first, second, and additional standarddeviations of for the chart of drift versus time, for use with thesystems and methods of the present invention.

FIG. 27 is a schematic diagram illustrating exemplary IP-based activepower management system in accordance with one embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 28 is a schematic diagram illustrating a schematic diagram of anexemplary active load client in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 29 is a flow diagram illustrating steps in a method for updatinginformation relating to ALCs and/or ALD database.

FIG. 30 illustrates a flow diagram of methods according to the presentinvention for tracking power usage and power supply value (PSV)generation.

FIG. 31 is a schematic diagram illustrating settlement processor systemsand methods of the present invention including grid elements,coordinator, translator, and settlement processor components.

FIG. 32 is a schematic diagram illustrating a virtualized computingnetwork used in one embodiment of the invention for automated systemsand methods.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Generally, electric power management systems and network-basedcommunications for an electric power grid are known. However, most priorart systems and methods apply to normal grid management, macro (large)generation subsystems, transmission subsystems, distributions systems,utility management of meters and meter data, where raw data iscommunicated by wired and wireless network communications infrastructureand stored in databases for later processing at predetermined timeperiods.

Furthermore, prior art exists regarding the construction of privatenetworks for grid operators, market participants, utilities andcombinations thereof whereby a combination of privately owned networks,the use of common carrier and traditional telephony networks areutilized for this command, control, telemetry, metrology, and settlementmessages. Historically, this communications infrastructure and thetransmission formats utilized by electric grid operators has relied upontechnologies that have evolved as control systems have evolved. Forexample, analog circuits that carried low bit rate packets andinformation could be carried over “plain old telephone service” (POTS),microwave communications, and physical links of various types that areknown in the art. Over time, both wireline and wireless infrastructureevolved to digital formats that have been the backbone for bothprivately owned, privately provisioned and public networkinfrastructure. These formats, primarily synchronous networks and alsoTime Division Multiplex (TDM) networks followed the analog modulationschemes by offering greater capacity over both copper and wirelessinfrastructure, but leading to great innovations in speed andreliability with the advent of synchronous optical networks (SONET),Digital Wireless Standards inclusive of Global System for MobileCommunications (GSM) and Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) and manyproprietary methods for transporting information digitally necessary forthe overall function, registration, operation, command, control andparticipation of grid elements and their logical control infrastructurefor grid stability and reliability.

In the last 10 years, great innovation has been made and adopted in thetelecommunications sectors regarding the known art of Internet Protocoltransport and security. The Open Systems Interface (OSI) architecture,itself derived from X.25 among others in packet switching. Similarly,advances in digital switching has reduced the electronics and physicalor virtual connections and multiplexing to more efficient asynchronousformats that incorporate various methods for increasing the speed andreliability of IP transport connections. Ethernet connections now arethe new telecommunications standards that heretofore would have beenmore accepted for local area network connectivity are now the standardfor most data traffic, particularly those IP packets that do not requirepriority, security, or are for non-critical infrastructure.

Recently, the Federal Communications Commission accepted the filings ofAT&T, Spring, Verizon among other common carriers, local exchangecarriers, and intra/interlata carriers who are authorized to transportvoice or other “non-information” services traffic to convert the legacy“POTS”, analog, and synchronous digital (TDM) connections to an allInternet Protocol infrastructure for ALL connections within thecarriers' service territories or FCC granted licensed areas if thecommon carriers are also wireless service providers. The process ofconversion has been in fact started in the carriers' core fiberinterconnections as the fiber cores have been converted from SONET andSignaling System No. 7 (SS7) networks to advanced high speed transportmethods such as Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS). There are manyefficiencies for the carriers and they also provide for a moredistributed infrastructure for both traditional voice services and datatransport services.

Further FCC Action in 2011 dealing with the interconnection of DOCIS(cable standard) for data transport in both synchronous but primarilysynchronous formats of voice video and data within fiber or hybrid fibercoax delivery systems AND voice service common carriers over pure IPformats (Vonage as an example) combined with the rollout of all IP thirdgeneration wireless infrastructure and now fourth generation standardssuch as Long Term Evolution, also known as 4G and the soon to bereleased TIA/IEEE standards for firth generation wireless services,advances in antenna and software that have delivered advances in IEEE802.11-X (a, b, d, g, n and its successors) have increased the bit ratesthat take advantage of IP's inherent routing, reliability, andefficiency.

Unfortunately for traditional wireline common carriers and localexchange carriers, this movement to both “cutting the cord” withwireless phones being landline replacements and the movement away fromanalog and lower bit rate digital (TDM) technologies, the FederalGovernment, which has previously classified IP traffic carrier betweencarriers and Internet Service Providers as an “Information Service” notsubject to Federal or State Level Public Utility Commission oversight,has decided that new Federal rules regarding voice traffic carried by IPprotocol must be re-visited as whether or not the voice component is an“Information Service” or constitutes a service that is subject to newinterconnection rules between the carriers, the ISPs, the CableIndustry, the Service Only providers and the Wireless Carriers.

There are many drivers for the FCC to take this action, independent ofthe background and history of how the electric power grid also utilizesthese networks. In previous interconnection rules, carriers thatinterconnected their voice and or data traffic with each other did sothrough highly negotiated contracts. In these contracts, each carrierwhere the traffic originated, was compensated reciprocally from theterminating carrier (wireless or wireline) for traffic TERMINATED in theadjacent carrier's network. At the end of a pre-negotiated time frame,generally monthly, the totals for minutes of use, erlangs, or Megabits(MB) delivered were reconciled and inter-carrier compensation wasawarded to the net provider of “traffic” to the terminating carrier.Furthermore, one of the charges that ALL carriers charged theircustomers on these legacy networks were taxes and fees to fund ruraltelecommunications infrastructure build-out that has been funded fromtraffic for decades. The “Universal Service Fund” (USF) was set up forrural communities and their service providers to have access to FederalGrant money to fund rural deployments and upgrades with the goal ofkeeping rural America at the same level of innovation as urban areas. Asthe transitions aforementioned have taken place, particularly with theintroduction of IP transport for voice video and data, the dollarsflowing in the USF fund and therefore the money available for grant torural communities has been dropping drastically for many years, forcingthe FCC to re-evaluate, with these combination of forces, its definitionof IP based voice services as eligible for USF tariffs.

Under the FCC's Order the FCC in 2012 codified in the Federal Registerthat inter-carrier compensation for IP voice was to no longer beconstrained by the definition of every packet that would or could betransported by the Internet or IP infrastructure, wireline or wirelessas an “Information Service.”

The FCC further so ordered that all carriers would track voice overInternet Protocol or VoIP separately from other data services for USFfunding under a new “Bill and Keep) methodology wherein voice traffic,regardless of its origin and format, would be tracked now from theoriginating network and billed by the network provider regardless if itis delivered to an adjacent network. The order also when further inproviding that each carrier, regardless of its type would provide adefined “Point of Interface” for the interconnection of IP packets,voice traffic or other data traffic” for common interface or boundariesfor where carriers could pass IP traffic from one network boundary orcarrier to the next. These FCC orders and the corresponding hearing,comments from carriers and requests for reconsideration are publicinformation that can be found at the FCC's website www.fcc.gov.

The additional issue that has recently been resolved in the DC Court ofAppeals deals with the concept of “Net Neutrality.” The FCC in 2008under former Chairman Genokowski, so ordered carriers that operatedInternet Protocol networks, ISPs or any network provider that passed IPpackets that offering “Priority Access” that would take advantage of IPProtocol's natural OSI protocols to order packets in the most importantorder as determined by the carrier and the application would not bepermitted. This order was controversial as it allowed for pureapplications companies to utilize carrier networks to transportbandwidth intensive services regardless of their impact to the overallspeed, reliability and capacity of the transport links. Companies thatoffer bandwidth intensive applications, e.g. music, video, or livestreaming, would have in effect under the “Net Neutral” protocols thesame priority of transport as a critical infrastructure such asemergency services or critical infrastructure communicationsnecessitated by the operations of an electric power grid or the marketparticipant.

As a result, grid operators, utilities, market participants havegenerally constructed private networks for their operations to ensurethat their traffic, carried either through their owned transport(wireless, fiber, copper etc.) would have priority over being carriedwithin the public or common carrier infrastructure. Where thatinfrastructure is used, the additional cost was spent for dark fiber,dedicated network capacity, private radio networks as examples amongstthose already discussed.

In 2013, the DC Court of Appeals struck down the FCC's Net Neutralityorder after the FCC was sued by a combination of carriers. In the Order(get some quotes), the Courts affirmed the Carriers ability incombination with the new requirements under the USF requirement fordifferentiating and accounting for VoIP as a service subject to the USFand the Bill and Keep orders, the Courts affirmed that the networkscould define the use of their networks and charge, provision andallocate resources, including priority access, as the network carriersand providers saw fit.

The impacts of this transformation of the carrier infrastructure areoften not obvious to one not ordinarily skilled in the art, but the neteffect is that in essence the accepted filings from the network carriersof the decommissioning of the legacy “POTS”, TDM, Frame Relay, ATM,SONET, or legacy networks is that in essence all networks that are usedin grid operations of any kind and from any generator, marketparticipant, grid operator, market manager, and/or utility will have tobe redesigned under a secure Internet protocol secure networkinfrastructure before 2020; therefore, a need exists for definitions,specifications, systems, and apparatus to be developed for the migrationfrom traditional grid operations to an all Internet Protocol, managed,secure, network and associated messaging.

The changes that have been described infrastructure and with newdistributed data and software applications, the net effect for theelectric power grid is that it now will abandon older technologies andembrace applications and network elements that can be provisioned bywireline and wireless carriers. Furthermore, these new IP devices andthe ability for the carriers to define new points of interface providefor a need to invent new methods and apparatus on how the electric powergrid, water, gas, or any commodity or service that can be distributedand stored in databases for later processing at predetermined timeperiods to be implemented on these newly soon to be designed networks.

Prior art also provides for controls managing the electric power gridand systems for collecting many different messages for telemetry, whichare used to deactivate or reduce power supplied to predetermined servicepoints from the grid, and for advanced meter infrastructure (AMI) datathat is communicated in raw data form from meters to data aggregatorsand to servers associated with the utilities providing the electricpower measured by the meters.

Collecting, transmitting, storing, and analyzing information associatedwith a variety of devices associated with the electric power grid isalso known in the art. Settlement for macro energy supply, energystorage, energy demand, and/or curtailment as supply is known in theprior art; however, most settlement includes manual and/or non-real-timesettlement including significant estimation or modeled data where actualdata is missing or not collected, and/or utilization of validationenergy equivalence (VEE), and/or collected and settled over a period oftime whereby actual contributions by sources/suppliers of generation arenot fully known and are estimated and applied to all Market Participantsin some cases a full year after a generation day. So communication ofraw data from AMI and other meters does not provide effective data forimmediate settlement without substantial analysis and modification or“washing” of the data after its communication to remote servers, usuallyoperated by utilities associated with the power supplied over the grid.In any case, the meters typically transmit raw data to an aggregatorwithout any analysis, sorting, modifying, or action on the data; andtypically, the meters do not provide security or prioritization on themessaging of the raw data they transmit.

Also, it is known in the prior art to provide messaging associated withcustomer billing for utilities. Generally, utilities messages associatedwith customer billing include analog data such as pulses from a metersent in a raw data form from the meter to a billing system associatedwith the utility providing the electricity to the customer associatedwith the meter. By way of example, consider US Patent Publication No.2011/0161250 published Jun. 30, 2011 and filed May 4, 2010 forDistributed Energy Generator Monitor and method of use by inventorsKoeppel, et al., which describes methods and systems for monitoring atleast one distributed energy generator including the steps of receivingutility bill information relating to an existing utility of a customer,and measured energy information from the distributed energy generator ofthe customer, and generating a bill for measured energy from thedistributed energy generator, the bill taking into account the utilitybill information related to the existing utility. The system includescustomer and public user interfaces to view data from the customerbilling system on distributed energy generator production, carbonemissions reduced, and energy cost savings delivered to customers. Thecustomer billing system includes messaging, but it is limited to pulsecounting and emailing the pulse data. In the publication, it isdisclosed that the energy production, sale, and weather data can be sentto the customer billing system, wherein the pulses counted by the pulseenergy meter, a temperature sensor reading, and an insolation sensoroutput can be combined into one data packet and transmitted to thecustomer billing system. The customer billing system can enter the datainto databases and converts the data from analog data into metric data.So the messaging of this reference provide only for the messaging of rawdata, and more particularly, analog data such as pulse data.

Also, US Patent Publication No. 2009/0281674 published Nov. 12, 2009 andfiled Feb. 11, 2009 for Distributed Energy Generator Monitor and methodof use by inventor Taft, which describes a smart grid for improving themanagement of a power utility grid including sensors and communicationsand computing technology such as bus structures dedicated to differenttypes of data, such as operational/non-operational data, eventprocessing data, grid connectivity data, and network location data; thebuses are used to transport the various types of data to other smartgrid processes such as a centrally located controller. Also, thisreference discloses the use of INDE Reference Architecture to enableintegration of intelligent or smart grids into the electric powerindustry. It further teaches that the buses comprise a local areanetwork (LAN), such as Ethernet® over unshielded twisted pair cablingand WI-FI, and that hardware and/or software, such as a router, is usedto route data on data onto one bus among the different physical buses.Additionally, in one embodiment, an IT environment is SOA-compatible.Events include messages and/or alarms originating from the variousdevices and sensors that are part of the smart grid. It further teachesrouting devices that determine how to route the data based on one ormore methods, including routing devices that examine one or more headersin the transmitted data to determine whether to route the data to thesegment for the operational/non-operational data bus or to the segmentfor the event bus. Specifically, one or more headers in the dataindicate whether the data is operation/non-operational data (so that therouting device routes the data to the operational/non-operational databus) or whether the data is event data (so that the routing deviceroutes the event bus). Alternatively, the routing device examines thepayload of the data to determine the type of data (e.g., the routingdevice examines the format of the data to determine if the data isoperational/non-operational data or event data). By contrast to thepresent invention, nowhere does this reference disclose the use of IPpackets in all messaging; also, this reference teaches that the busesare separate for performance purposes. For CEP processing, low latencyis important for certain applications, which are subject to very largemessage bursts. Most of the grid data flows, on the other hand, are moreor less constant, with the exception of digital fault recorder files,but these can usually be retrieved on a controlled basis, whereas eventbursts are asynchronous and random. Also, this reference teaches thatthe existing grid devices have been designed to acquire and store datafor occasional offload to some other device such as a laptop computer,or to transfer batch files via PSTN line to a remote host on demand.These devices are not necessarily designed for operation in a real timedigital network environment. In these cases, the grid device data isobtained at the substation level, or at the operations control centerlevel, depending on how the existing communications network has beendesigned. In the case of meters networks, it will normally be the casethat data is obtained from the meter data collection engine, since meternetworks are usually closed and the meters are not always addresseddirectly. As these networks evolve, meters and other grid devices becomeindividually addressable, so that data is transported directly to whereit is needed, which is not necessarily the operations control center,but anywhere on the grid. Devices such as faulted circuit indicators areoften married with wireless network interface cards, for connection overmodest speed (such as 100 kbps) wireless networks. These devices reportstatus by exception and carry out fixed pre-programmed functions. Theintelligence of many grid devices is increased by using local smartRTUs. Instead of having poletop RTUs that are designed as fixedfunction, closed architecture devices, RTUs are often used as openarchitecture devices that can be programmed by third parties and thatserve as an INDE DEVICE in the INDE Reference Architecture. Also, metersat customers' premises are able to be used as sensors. For example,meters measure consumption (such as how much energy is consumed forpurposes of billing) and measure voltage (for use in volt/V Aroptimization). The data from the one or more sensors is sent to theSmart Meter, which packages the data for transmission to the operationscontrol center via utility communication network. The in-home displayprovides the customer at the customer premises with an output device toview, in real-time, data collected from Smart Meter and the one or moresensors. In addition, an input device (such as a keyboard) is associatedwith in-home display so that the customer is able to communicate withthe operations control center. In one embodiment, the in-home displaycomprises a computer resident at the customer premises, and furtherincludes controls that control one or more devices at the customerpremises. Various appliances at the customer premises are controlled,such as the heater, air conditioner, etc., depending on commands fromthe operations control center. The customer premises communicate in avariety of ways, such as via the Internet, the public-switched telephonenetwork (PSTN), or via a dedicated line (such as via collector). Via anyof the listed communication channels, the data from one or more customerpremises are sent. One or more customer premises comprises a Smart MeterNetwork (comprising a plurality of smart meters), sending data to acollector for transmission to the operations control center via theutility management network. Further, various sources of distributedenergy generation/storage (such as solar panels, etc.) send data to amonitor control for communication with the operations control center viathe utility management network. Also, the devices in the power gridoutside of the operations control center include processing and/orstorage capability. In addition to the individual devices in the powergrid including additional intelligence, the individual devicescommunicate with other devices in the power grid, in order to exchangeinformation (include sensor data and/or analytical data (such as eventdata)) in order to analyze the state of the power grid (such asdetermining faults) and in order to change the state of the power grid(such as correcting for the faults). Specifically, the individualdevices use the following: (1) intelligence (such as processingcapability); (2) storage (such as the distributed storage discussedabove); and (3) communication (such as the use of the one or more busesdiscussed above). In this way, the individual devices in the power gridcommunicate and cooperate with one another without oversight from theoperations control center. For example, the INDE architecture disclosedabove includes a device that senses at least one parameter on the feedercircuit. The device further includes a processor that monitors thesensed parameter on the feeder circuit and that analyzes the sensedparameter to determine the state of the feeder circuit. For example, theanalysis of the sense parameter comprises a comparison of the sensedparameter with a predetermined threshold and/or comprise a trendanalysis. One such sensed parameter includes sensing the waveforms andone such analysis comprises determining whether the sensed waveformsindicate a fault on the feeder circuit. The device further communicateswith one or more substations.

By way of example of existing prior art and commercial applications, inTexas, utility investment has occurred in high heat rate gas plants, andthen natural gas became cheap, so these plants are having a difficulttime competing with other market participants now, and so there is acapacity shortage in Texas. Without energy accounting that is accurate,then everyone is getting charged for whatever the utilities cannotaccount for.

Because it is easier to convert synchronous optical networking toasynchronous transport mode (ATM) to IP core (managed Ethernet) bychanging electronics and converting after routers, the carriers whobuilt fiber networks for delivery of content to end user consumers setup multiple VPNs for use cases. Voice has high priority; video hasanother priority; browsing has another priority. Prior art is known toprovide different TCP/IP sessions and UDP sessions, which send a packetwithout security or confirmation of its arrival.

For power networks, TDM and analog telemetry inside DSO (channel) isprovided, and T1 with channels that sample analog signals, convert themto digital, send down pipe, reconvert to analog at end are provided. Intoday's power networks, conversion takes place at the device, forexample RTU is used to provide analog telemetry from energy managementsystem, ACE equation from closed loop system, analog telemetry tellsgenerator to increase or decrease output for frequency and voltagecontrol, and for grid stability. Grid elements send raw analogtelemetry, asynchronous or synchronous transport without encryption orsecurity, connecting analog inputs and outputs, sending thru layers 1-3in telecommunications networks, or private networks set up for marketparticipants. In the clear, with PCM encoding, or equivalent, analogtelemetry following controls of grid elements or market participantsthat are standardized power equations like ACE or in response to marketevents to control multiple units to put more or less power into the gridfor operating reserves or base load into the grid.

US Patent Publication No. 2012/0131100 for Data collection from utilitymeters over advanced metering infrastructure by inventors Van Olst etal., filed Nov. 23, 2010 and published May 24, 2012, discloses dataaggregators that provide an intermediate node in an AMI system betweenutility meters and head end system (as well as other back officesystems). Data aggregators collect and transmit data with utility metersusing data packets that can be native to individual meters. In otherwords, while meters are all spontaneously communicating, the datapackaging formats, or protocols differ from meter to meter. Illustrativemeter data protocols include, e.g., C12.19, DLMS/COSEM, etc.Communication between the utility meters and data aggregators is able tobe implemented in any fashion, e.g., power line carrier, GPRS/GSM/3G/4Gmodems, wireless technology, including mesh networks, IP networks, etc.A data aggregator generally includes: (1) a communications system forproviding a communication channel with a set of meters; (2) a datacollection system for collecting/interrogating data from the meters; (3)an aggregation system for aggregating data collected from differentmeters (in different data formats) into aggregated data in a unifiedaddress space; (4) a data presentation system for synchronizing theaggregated data over a back haul interface to one or more head endsystems; and an asset management agent. Communications system includesall the messaging facilities necessary to support solicited,unsolicited, and broadcast functions to communicate with meters. A dataaggregator addresses individual meters or broadcast to groups of meters,which is disclosed as able to be accomplished in any manner, e.g.,communicating using TCP/IP or any other communication protocol.

Within data aggregator, data collection system, asset management agentsand data presentation system implement group management strategies suchthat meter grouping activity performed on the head end system isdisseminated to meters, and messages (e.g., behavior modification)targeting groups defined in the head end system are expeditiouslypropagated to the constituent meters. Once groupings are implemented,data aggregator can implement data transmission directives (e.g., publicpricing messages), data collection directives (e.g., daily use data), orother directives from the head end system as a broadcast or multicastsignals that address a group of utility meters. Signals are generallytransmitted to utility meters without regard to their group membership.

Aggregation system is responsible for managing spontaneous messages inan addressable memory space. Functions provided by aggregation systeminclude the ability to: group the controllable data points such thatcommanding a change to a single controllable data point affects a set ofmeters in a defined group; disseminate grouping information to thecommunication modules in a plurality of utility meters; and broadcast amessage addressed to groups of utility meters such that all metersreceive the message. In addition, various time stamp and statusindications such as link strength, self-test and other status indicatorscan be easily stored and managed by aggregation system. This referencealso describes a meter provisioning process that depicts a meter havinga communication card, a data aggregator, an asset management system, anda communication management system. In this example, a new meter isprovisioned (i.e., placed into service). When this occurs, the meter'snetwork node credentials are passed to, and verified by, an assetmanagement agent residing on the data aggregator (A). Next, the dataaggregator passes the credentials of the newly found meter to assetmanagement system, which verifies the credentials and requests details(e.g., current settings, readings, locations, etc.) (B). Data aggregatorrelays the request back to meter and returns the details (C). The returndetails are then forwarded to asset management system, which thenprovisions meter (D), i.e., activates it within the infrastructure.Asset management system then forwards the meter details to thecommunication management system, which processes the information (E).Asset management system also forwards the meter details back to dataaggregator, which processes and stores the details, configures the assetand obtains a return configuration complete notification (F). Thisconfiguration includes the group assignment of the meter. At any timethereafter, data aggregator can issue a data request to meter and obtaina response (G). Once the initial state of meter is known to dataaggregator it will issue a spontaneous message back to the communicationmanagement system (e.g., a configuration change occurred) (H), service adata request, and return a data response (I) to complete synchronizationof the internal data representation. Aspects of the AMI system describedcan be implemented in the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, anentirely software embodiment or an embodiment containing both hardwareand software elements. In one embodiment, the processing functionsperformed by communication card; data aggregator; and head end areimplemented in software, which includes but is not limited to firmware,resident software, microcode, etc.

Prior art networks associated with electric power grid communications,including various communication methods are known. Today, a patchwork ofsystems exist to dispatch macro generation, implement demand responseload management programs, dispatch of intermittent renewable resources,and energy management and control. These legacy systems are used forboth supplying “Negawatts”, supply and grid stability to the electricutility grid. In the case of demand management, also referred to in theindustry as “Demand Response”, various radio subsystems in variousfrequency bands utilize “one-way” transmit only methods of communicationor most recently deployed a plurality of proprietary two-way methods ofcommunications with electric customers or their load consuming deviceand measurement instruments including, by way of example, “smartmeters.” In addition, macro generation is controlled and dispatched fromcentralized control centers either from utilities, Independent PowerProducers (IPPS) or other Market Participants that utilize point topoint primarily “Plain old telephone service” POTS dedicated low bitrate modems or nailed time division multiplex (TDM) circuits such asT-1s that supply analog telemetry to Energy Management Systems or insome cases physical dispatch to a human operator to “turn on” generationassets in response to grid supply needs or grid stress and high loadconditions. These legacy systems operate under a framework supported fordecades to attempt to increase the efficiency of existing transmissioninfrastructure and simultaneously attempt to supply each grid operator,Market Participant or end customer the lowest cost of energy regardlessof the type of resource. Unfortunately, these legacy systems, in theindustry referred to as “Security Constrained Economic Dispatch” (SCED)utilize complex models with incomplete information to provide both ISOsand Traditional Utilities a means to provide a generation forecast forthe next generation time period (for example, day ahead).

SCED has not been successful in the facilitation of new technologiessuch as Demand Management, Advanced Curtailment contemplated under FERCOrder 745, Advanced Storage contemplated under FERC Order 750, orAdvanced Distributed Energy Resources contemplated under FERC Order 755.

Existing uses for traditional Demand Response technologies, that are notgenerally capable of performing to the level contemplated under FERCOrder 745, but are used for peak shaving, utilities or other marketparticipants install radio frequency (RF)-controlled relay switchestypically attached to a customer's air conditioner, water heater, orpool pumps, or other individual load consuming devices. A blanketcommand is sent out to a specific geographic area whereby all receivingunits within the range of the transmitting station (e.g., typically apaging network) are turned off during peak hours at the election of thepower utility. After a period of time when the peak load has passed, asecond blanket command is sent to turn on those devices that have beenturned off. Furthermore integrating even these simple “load shifting”assets for purposes of settlements is problematic given that thesetraditional technologies cannot provide the necessary geodetic and otherinformation necessary for these load sources to be integrated into anEnergy Management System or settled under the traditional energydispatch and settlement systems.

Most recent improvements that follow the same concepts for DemandResponse are RF networks that utilize a plurality of mesh based,non-standard communications protocols that utilize IEEE 802.15.4 or itsderivatives, or ZIGBEE protocol end devices to include load controlswitches, programmable thermostats that have pre-determined set pointsfor accomplishing the “off” or “cut” or reduce command simultaneously orpre-loaded in the resident memory of the end device. These networks aresometimes referred to in the industry as “Home Area Networks” or (HANs).In these elementary and mostly proprietary solutions, a programmablecontrol thermostat(s) (PCTs) or building management systems (BMS) movethe set point of the HVAC (or affect another inductive or resistivedevice) or remove a resistive device from the electric grid thusaccomplishing the same “load shifting” effect previously described. Allof these methods require and rely on statistical estimations andmodeling for measuring their effectiveness and use historicalinformation that are transmitted via these same “smart meters”, intervaldevice recorders (IDRs), or revenue grade meters, to provideafter-the-fact evidence that an individual device or consumer compliedwith the demand response or market driven event. Protocols that areemployed for these methods include “Smart Energy Profiles Versions 1 &2” and its derivatives to provide utilities and their consumers anattempt at standardization amongst various OEMs of PCTs, switching, andcontrol systems through a plurality of protocols and interfaces. Thesemethods remain crude and do not include real time, measurement,verification, settlement and other attributes necessary to have theirDemand Response effects utilized for effective Operating Reserves withthe exception of limited programs for “Emergency” Capacity Programs asevidenced by programs such as the Energy Reliability Council of Texas'(ERCOT's) Emergency Interruptible Load Service (EILS). Furthermore, foreffective settlement and control of mobile storage devices such asElectric Vehicles, these early “Smart Grid” devices are not capable ofmeeting the requirements of Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC),North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC) or other standardssetting bodies such as the National Institute of Science & Technology(NIST) Smart Grid Roadmap.

While telemetering has been used for the express purpose of reportingenergy usage in real time, no cost effective techniques exist forcalculating power consumption, carbon gas emissions, sulfur dioxide(SO₂) gas emissions, and/or nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) emissions, andreporting the state of a particular device under the control of atwo-way positive control load management device or other combinations ofload control and generator controls as previously described. Inparticular, one way wireless communications devices have been utilizedto de-activate electrical appliances, such as heating, ventilation, andair-conditioning (HVAC) units, water heaters, pool pumps, and lightingor any inductive or resistive device that is eligible as determined by autility or market participant for deactivation, from an existingelectrical supplier or distribution partner's network. These deviceshave typically been used in combination with wireless paging receiversor FM radio carrier data modulation, or a plurality of 2-way proprietaryradio frequency (RF) technologies that receive “on” or “off” commandsfrom a paging transmitter or transmitter device. Additionally, theone-way devices are typically connected to a serving electricalsupplier's control center via landline trunks, or in some cases,microwave transmission to the paging transmitter.

While one-way devices are generally industry standard and relativelyinexpensive to implement, the lack of a return path from the receiver,combined with the lack of information on the actual devices connected tothe receiver, make the system highly inefficient and largely inaccuratefor measuring the actual load shed to the serving utility or compliantwith measurement and verification for presenting a balancing authorityor independent system operator for operating reserves and settlements.The aforementioned “two-way” systems are simultaneously defective inaddressing real time and near real time telemetry needs that producegeneration equivalencies that are now recognized by FERC Orders such asFERC 745 where measurable, verifiable Demand Response “Negawatts”,defined as real time or near real time load curtailment wheremeasurement and verification can be provided within the tolerancesrequired under such programs presented by FERC, NERC, or the governingbody that regulate grid operations. The aforementioned “smart meters” incombination with their data collection systems commonly referred to as“Advanced Metering Infrastructure” (AMI) generally collect interval datafrom meters in historical fashion and report this information to theutility, market participant or grid operator after the utility or gridoperator has sent notice for curtailment events or “control events” toinitiate due to high grid stress that includes lack of adequateoperating reserves to meet demand, frequency variations, voltage supportand any other grid stabilizing needs as identified by the utility orgrid operator and published and governed by FERC, NERC, or otherapplicable regulations. Standard AMI meters report historicalinformation at least 15 minutes after the event occurred, but the timelag could be as long as 24 hours.

One exemplary telemetering system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.6,891,838. This patent describes details surrounding a meshcommunication of residential devices and the reporting and control ofthose devices, via WANs, to a computer. The stated design goal in thispatent is to facilitate the “monitoring and control of residentialautomation systems.” This patent does not explain how a serving utilityor customer could actively control the devices to facilitate thereduction of electricity. In contrast, this patent discloses techniquesthat could be utilized for reporting information that is being displayedby the serving utility's power meter (as do many other priorapplications in the field of telemetering).

An additional exemplary telemetering system is disclosed in US PatentPublication No. 2005/0240315, which describes an improved interactivesystem for remotely monitoring and establishing the status of a customerutility load. A stated goal of this publication is to reduce the amountof time utility field personnel have to spend in the field servicingmeters by utilizing wireless technology.

Another prior art system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,633,823, whichdescribes, in detail, the use of proprietary hardware to remotely turnoff or turn on devices within a building or residence. While initiallythis prior art generally describes a system that would assist utilitiesin managing power load control, the prior art does not contain theunique attributes necessary to construct or implement a complete system.In particular, this patent is deficient in the areas of security, loadaccuracy of a controlled device, and methods disclosing how a customerutilizing applicable hardware might set parameters, such as temperatureset points, customer preference information, and customer overrides,within an intelligent algorithm that reduces the probability of customerdissatisfaction and service cancellation or churn.

Attempts have been made to bridge the gap between one-way, un-verifiedpower load control management systems and positive control verifiedpower load control management systems. However, until recently,technologies such as smart breakers and command relay devices were notconsidered for use in residential and commercial environments primarilydue to high cost entry points, lack of customer demand, and the cost ofpower generation relative to the cost of implementing load control ortheir ability to meet the measurement, telemetry, verificationrequirements of the grid operator or ISO. Furthermore, submeteringtechnology within the smart breaker, load control device, command relaydevices or building control systems have not existed in the prior art.

One such gap-bridging attempt is described in U.S. Patent PublicationNo. 2005/0065742. This publication discloses a system and method forremote power management using IEEE 802 based wireless communicationlinks. The system described in this publication includes an on-premiseprocessor (OPP), a host processor, and an end device. The host processorissues power management commands to the OPP, which in turn relays thecommands to the end devices under its management. While the disclosedOPP does provide some intelligence in the power management system, itdoes not determine which end devices under its control to turn-offduring a power reduction event, instead relying on the host device tomake such decision. For example, during a power reduction event, the enddevice must request permission from the OPP to turn on. The request isforwarded to the host device for a decision on the request in view ofthe parameters of the on-going power reduction event. The system alsocontemplates periodic reading of utility meters by the OPP and storageof the read data in the OPP for later communication to the host device.The OPP also includes intelligence to indicate to the host processorthat the OPP will not be able to comply with a power reduction commanddue to the inability of a load under the OPP's control to bedeactivated. Neither the host processor nor the OPP tracks oraccumulates power saved and/or carbon credits earned on a per customeror per utility basis for future use by the utility and/or customer.Also, the system described in this publication does not provide forsecure communications between the host processor and the OPP, and/orbetween the OPP and the end device.

Thus, none of the prior art systems, methods, or devices providescomplete solutions for communications of data packets and messaging withgrid elements and network management, including messaging overcommunication networks and energy management over the electric powergrid network. Therefore, a need exists for systems and methods formessaging associated with grid element participation including securedata packet messaging to overcome the shortcomings of the prior art.

The present invention provides systems, methods, and apparatusembodiments for generating, communicating, and/or receiving InternetProtocol (IP) packets for IP-based messaging associated with electricpower grid elements via electronic communications networks for electricpower grid and network registration, updating, and/or management of amultiplicity of grid elements distributed within the electric powergrid. The IP packets further include messages and/or data associatedwith the function and/or participation in the electric power grid of thegrid elements, providing network-based communications with secure IPpackets for messaging and communications relating to the electric powergrid (or microgrid), and/or for messaging for energy settlement and/orcorresponding financial settlement, including but not limited tomarket-based financial settlement for grid element participation in theelectric power grid. The systems, methods, and messages of the presentinvention include IP-based messages associated with the grid elements,wherein the IP-based message includes an internet protocol (IP) packetthat is generated autonomously and/or automatically by the gridelements, intelligent messaging hardware associated with the gridelements, at least one coordinator, and/or a server associated with theelectric power grid and its operation, energy settlement, and/orfinancial settlement for electricity provided or consumed, transmitted,and/or curtailed or reduced. The IP packet preferably includes a contentincluding raw data and/or transformed data, a priority associated withthe IP-based message, a security associated with the IP packet, and/or atransport route for communicating the IP-based message via the network.

Accordingly, the present invention provides for internet protocol (IP)messages and IP-based network communication of IP messages, wherein theIP message is constructed and configured to be communicated over anIP-based network connecting (wired, wireless, and combinations) at leastone grid element participating in an electric power grid and at leastone server computer that is associated with the energy managementsystem(s) for the electric power grid(s). The IP message furtherincludes an IP packet that includes a content (raw data, transformeddata, status, change in state, revenue grade metrology, unique gridelement identifier, and combinations), a priority, a security, and atransport route for communication over the IP network.

The content of the IP packet includes content elements selected from rawdata, raw data plus other information relating to the raw data and/orthe grid element, transformed data, revenue grade metrology, a status, achange of status, a function of the grid element associated with thecontent, and combinations of these content elements. Raw data includesinformation generated by, sensed by, measured by, or stored by a gridelement; raw data includes metrology, location, grid element identifier,C.12.19 tables, meter data, software version, firmware version, LSEpriority, and combinations thereof. The transformed data can be staticor dynamic. For this application, dynamic means that the transformeddata changes or is affected when grid conditions change, thus, thedynamic transformed data is additionally or subsequently changed ortransformed due to or reacting to grid reliability, grid stability,energy settlements, and/or financial settlements. According to thepresent invention, the transformation of raw data associated with atleast one grid element is automatic and/or autonomous when anapplication acts on the raw data to convert it from a first state, whichis a raw data state (i.e., the raw data means data collected, sensed,measured, and/or generated by the grid element during its participationin its predetermined function or role within the electric power grid),to a second state, which is a transformed data state, whichtransformation is automatically performed by a processor operativelycoupled with memory associated with, residing within, or connected to,the initiating grid element, a receiving grid element, a coordinator, orcombinations thereof. In an alternate embodiment, additionaltransformation is performed at a server computer.

The present invention provides systems, methods, and IP-based messagesassociated with the grid elements, wherein each IP-based messageincludes an internet protocol (IP) packet that is generated autonomouslyand/or automatically by the grid elements, intelligent messaginghardware associated with the grid elements, at least one coordinator,and/or a server associated with the electric power grid and itsoperation, energy settlement, and/or financial settlement forelectricity provided or consumed, transmitted, and/or curtailed orreduced. The IP packet preferably includes a content including raw dataand/or transformed data, a priority associated with the IP-basedmessage, a security associated with the IP packet, and/or a transportroute for communicating the IP-based message via the network. Amultiplicity of active grid elements have predetermined functions toparticipate in the electric power grid for supply, demand, curtailment,control, transmission, distribution, metering, etc., and are compensatedwith a financial settlement for their functional participation in theelectric power grid; the IP packets include information about the gridelements and their functions and participation in the electric powergrid that is communicated to server(s) associated with EMS, marketparticipants, power suppliers (including but not limited to utilities),and/or grid operators over network(s). Also, communication of each ofthe IP-based messages and corresponding IP packets is managed through anetwork by a Coordinator using IP messaging for communication with thegrid elements, with the energy management system (EMS), and with theutilities, market participants, and/or grid operators.

The content of the IP packet includes content elements selected from rawdata, raw data plus additional information, transformed data, a status,a change of status, a function of the grid element associated with thecontent, and combinations of these content elements. Raw data includesinformation generated by, sensed by, measured by, or stored by a gridelement; raw data includes metrology, location, grid element identifier,C.12.19 tables, meter data, software version, firmware version, LSEpriority, and combinations thereof

According to the present invention, the content further includestransformed data, wherein the transformation of raw data associated withat least one grid element occurs automatically when an application actson the raw data to convert it from a first state, which is a raw datastate (i.e., the raw data means data collected, sensed, measured, orgenerated by the grid element during its participation in itspredetermined function or role within the electric power grid), to asecond state, which is a transformed data state, which transformation isautomatically performed by a processor operatively coupled with memoryassociated with, residing within, or connected to, the initiating gridelement, a receiving grid element, a coordinator, or combinationsthereof. In an alternate embodiment, additional transformation isperformed at a server computer.

In embodiments of the present invention, grid elements communicate IPmessages having IP packets, preferably through network-basedcommunication between the grid elements, a Coordinator, a translator,legacy systems, and/or a settlement processor. Also preferably,messaging is managed through a network by a Coordinator using IPmessaging for communication with the grid elements, with the energymanagement system (EMS), Distribution Management System (DMS), and withthe utilities, market participants, and/or grid operators. TheCoordinator is further operable for communicating data with a database,a persistence layer or cache, an ASIC or memory contained in a gridelement or the processor, or combinations thereof, and to provide anoverall assessment of electric grid operations (normal or emergency)including but not limited to energy flows within the system, gridstabilization information, operating reserves, capacity, transmissionand distribution capacities, grid element capacities, settlement, andcombinations thereof.

The multiplicity of active grid elements function in the grid forvarious roles and participate in the electric power grid to provide, byway of example and not limitation, control, reporting, status, gridoperations (normal or emergency), any source of macro supplycapacity/energy, supply as distributed energy resources from a pluralityof methods, supply/energy through storage devices, and/or loadcurtailment as supply or capacity, and communicate IP messages having IPpackets that include transformed data associated with thosecorresponding grid element activities or raw data collected, generated,sensed, stored, cached, and/or measured by the grid element(s).

The transformation of messaging to IP format is not be trivial orobvious to one ordinarily skilled in the art for many reasons: i)existing grid elements generally transmit their information within atransport mechanism where the raw data is not transformed, but rathertransmitted “in the clear” or under private networks whereby theplurality of systems utilized for grid operations, grid stability, gridreliability are sometimes separated from messages dealing with lesscritical functions such as metering information from data collectorsknown in the art as “AMI Head Ends” or data sorting systems also knownin the art as “Meter Data Management” systems; ii) existing gridoperators use a combination of privately owned infrastructure that couldbe single purpose fiber optic cables utilizing TDM transport methodssuch as Synchronous Optical Networking (SONET), Digital Multiplexers,Frame Relay, DS-1 (Time Division Multiplexed) circuits or analog modemsutilizing “Plain Old Telephone Service” (POTS). These privately ownednetworks include unbundled network elements purchased from commoncarriers, wireless mobile operators, or private radio operatorsinclusive of paging systems and radio subsystems of a plurality ofstandards and proprietary modulation methods; iii) criticalinfrastructure and command/control share the same physical layer andnetwork equipment making intrusion, security, and operations of theelectric grid vulnerable. The inevitable transition from time division,ATM, frame relay, or POTs transport services necessitate and teachtowards changes in how data is transformed, prioritized, coordinated,and then ultimately transported on managed Ethernet Networks whetherthey be secured from telecom carriers or re-built by grid operators,market participants, independent system operators, regional transmissionorganizations or pluralities of all.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a system for electric powergrid network management including: at least one grid element constructedand configured for electrical connection and network-based communicationwith a server and/or a processor operatively coupled with memory;wherein the grid element collects, generates, senses, stores and/ormeasures raw data associated with a predetermined function within theelectric power grid that is performed by the grid element; the raw datais transformed into transformed data associated with each of the atleast one active grid elements and provided in an IP packet forcommunication as an IP message, which is transmitted via a network,preferably a communications network, and wherein the transformation ofthe raw data is preferably automatic and/or autonomous.

The present invention methods, systems, and IP-based messages providetransformation of raw data associated with grid elements, followingtheir registration with IP-based messaging that communicated via thenetwork and preferably through a coordinator. Following registration,the active grid elements operate according to their respective intendedfunctions, and also preferably continue to have automatic communicationsand messaging via the network through at least one coordinator. Becauseof the automatic and preferably autonomous registration and ongoingmessaging with the grid elements, the grid elements operate collectivelyfor managing flow of power for an electric grid, micro grid, or othersystem, or combinations thereof, more particularly the supply ofelectric power for the grid, whether by generation, storage fordischarge, electric vehicles (EV), which function as transportablestorage and load consuming devices, either standalone or in aggregate,(and must be tracked to ensure proper settlement and grid stabilitymanagement), and/or load curtailment, and function to ensure gridstability and to supply electric power from any source of powergeneration, storage, and/or curtailment that equates to supply.

According to the present invention, grid stabilizing metrics includingvoltage, current, frequency, power factor, reactive and inductive power,capacitance, phase control, and/or any other grid metric that isrequired by a grid operator, market participant, utility, and the like,to operate and maintain electric power grid stability as determined bythe grid operator or the governing entity therefor. Preferably, thesemetrics are monitored and/or measured at a multiplicity of points, andmore preferably using active grid elements and their attributes andstatus information throughout the electric power grid, including but notlimited to locations within or at the distribution system, transmissionsystem, electrical bus (substation), generation source, supply controldevices, load control devices, load consuming devices (particularlythose involved in curtailment activities), at least one Coordinator, andcombinations thereof. The metrics apply to any size and type of activegrid element, regardless whether the generation source is macro innature, e.g., large scale generation such as large coal, nuclear, gas orother traditional or non-traditional sources of generation, micro-gridgeneration, emergency back-up power generation, alternative energygeneration, e.g., wind, solar, etc., or a power storage device or fuelcell that is potentially available for discharge.

Also, at least one of the active grid elements includes client devicesor the associated power consuming or generation control devices have theability to independently execute commands from an Active Load Director(ALD), Active Load Client (ALC), a 3^(rd) party Energy Management System(EMS), Active Supply Director (ASD), Coordinator, Generation SourceSupply (GSS), Storage Source Supply (SSS), transmission/distributioncapacity, messaging, settlements, security, and combinations thereof,that provide for both load consuming and generation to engage with theelectric power grid at attachment points with assured grid stability asindicated by the grid stability metrics for compliance with requirementsof the grid operator, utility, market participant, grid governingauthority, and/or any other regulations applicable to the electric powergrid. All of these active grid elements preferably receive theircommands and send communications and/or messaging via an IP message viaa Coordinator or Layer 3 router capable of handling all current andfuture iterations of IP messaging contemplated during the life of thisinvention.

Also preferably, all messaging to and from active grid elements iscontrolled, managed, and transmitted through the Coordinator, whichcommunicates between the many active grid elements, including andfollowing their initial registration, and the EMS and/or grid operator,utility, governing authority, and combinations thereof. More preferably,all commands and communications are routed through and by theCoordinator, which is constructed and configured for direct and/orwireless communication with the multiplicity of grid elements, andfurther includes components of processor, memory, persistence layer,memory cache, messaging engine, security interface, status and/orchange-in-status indicator, geodetic locator, telemetry, connectionswith the network, software operable for managing and changing theconnections, database with software operable for storing and analyzingdata associated with transmission and distribution attachments, servicepoints, active grid elements, registration, authentication, PSV, PTB,identification, capacity and capability of load and supply, softwareversion control for active grid elements, software improvement control,software for settlement, and combinations thereof. Other switchelements, which are included as active grid elements, that areapplicable to the Coordinator, and are included with the presentinvention include customer identification and authentication, customersecurity, attachment information and capacities, reservations forutilizing the transmission and distribution system, signaling to theelectric grid or its operator the plurality of all the above. TheCoordinator functions as an “energy router” whereby the messagingrequired to route supply, demand and transmission/distribution capacityto and from the grid is differentiated from pure communications routingand relates to grid stability and improved grid performance. Thus, theCoordinator is not merely functional as a traditional telecommunicationsrouter, but further includes the aforementioned messaging, management,and control functionality required for supply or curtailment to theelectric power grid. The Coordinator is consistent with compliance ascontemplated in the aforementioned FERC orders where frequencydeviations, security, and grid performance are all now needed in an eraof aging grid infrastructure and a changing and dynamic load environmentwhere the legacy macro grid and the interim “Smart Grid” elements arenot capable of responding to the new needs that FERC and NERC haveidentified and charged the market participants to solve, which have notyet been solved by any prior art, but which are addressed by the presentinvention. The energy routing function of the coordinator serves as atraffic manager, and a messaging engine, to track all the active gridelements, secure reservations and settlement information on the electricpower grid and the interface for one-to-many (i.e., one port for EMS tothe many active grid elements under the control of an EMS and supplyinggrid stability from the many to the one) allowing for microelements anddistributed generation and distributed load curtailment to perform withthe macro grid without taxing and destroying the legacy infrastructurebeyond its capabilities and limitations; the Coordinator is furtheroperable for tracking and maintaining status of all devices within itsdefined boundaries, or as described hereinabove with respect to PSV, ordetermined by the governing authority for the grid, which includes abalancing area, an ISO, a utility, a market participant, andcombinations thereof.

Preferably, the Coordinator manages all registered active grid elementsaccording to their characteristics, profiles associated therewith,location, and capability for responsiveness to the various electricpower grid resource requirements. The Coordinator further operates tomatch and prioritize these registered active grid elements and providesmessaging of their information and/or matching and prioritization tocommunication elements, including wireless and/or wireline carriers, sothat the messaging is then prioritized through any or all of thenetworks for communication of any messages to the utility, marketparticipant, grid operator, EMS, and combinations thereof, based uponthe grid resource requirements at any given time. Thus, the Coordinatorprovides priority “flags” on messaging that is communicated overexisting telecommunications infrastructure to provide grid stability andresources messaging with priority messaging over other informationtransmitted through those communications networks regardless if theyhave been configured to offer priority or “class” of service or not,VPNs or not. In particular, since electric power generation,distribution and transmission is part of critical infrastructure andprovides an asset for national security in many countries, including theUnited States of America, the present invention provides for enhancedcritical infrastructure security with the priority messaging associatedwith the Coordinator and allows the Coordinator to take advantage of newchip and ASIC technologies that will accommodate multiple routes, VPNs,APNs, and IP addresses per active grid element, ALC, ASD, GSS, SSS,Smart Meter, Service Point, transmission, distribution element orcombinations thereof

The Coordinator is operable for and includes Layer 1-4 forcommunication, but additionally, and significantly, the Coordinatorfurther tracks and communicates and controls where elements are attachedto the grid, makes or communicates decisions about how the resources areused either with or without communication to any active grid element,including but not limited to ALD or ASD, or EMS, communicates the statusof any and all active grid elements to legacy distribution automationand transmission reporting subsystems and provides for new methods fordirect contribution by active grid elements to the grid stabilitythrough load curtailment and/or supply from any source, and forsettlement of same, and the security, authentication, initialregistration of the devices with the grid, ALD, ASD, market participant,grid operators, their legacy subsystems and/or EMS for the electricpower grid; and change of status for those active grid elements; andcombinations of these, while simultaneously facilitating and routingthose messages to the appropriate subsystem to achieve the supply,curtailment, and/or grid stability requested by the legacy subsystems,or through the present invention, all with IP-based messaging. Mostpreferably, using digitally encrypted secure IP messaging deliveredthrough a network via Ethernet, wireless messaging, or proprietarymethods, including carrier-grade wireless and/or wired networks forcommunication.

Priority messaging is also provided by systems and methods of thepresent invention. OSI equivalent for financial messaging, includingprice, consumption, location, trouble, loss of connectivity, increase ordecrease consumption or supply (associated with price), etc.Prioritization for participation messaging is provided under the presentinvention; initial registration is followed by messaging associated withthe grid element relating to participation, profiles, etc.Authentication is preferably included with registration, and any and allupdating or changes to settings, profile, preferences, and particularlyincluding location. Location defines resource node, attachment point,losses, electrical bus, PSV, PTB, and combinations thereof, andtherefore, financial settlement factors and final value of settlementfor the participation for each of the grid elements.

A grid element is defined to be any functional component within anelectric power grid. By way of example and not limitation, at least oneof the grid elements is a control device that operates, programs andupdates select load consuming device(s) or generating devices associatedwith the electric power grid (including but not limited to controlsystems, thermostats, controllers, anything that controls the device,switch gear, large control systems operating from a control center orbox with interface to a large control system, such as a distributionautomation control system; transformation process includes whatevercontrol systems are attached to the electric devices, their databases,tables, memory, ASICs, firmware, software, operating systems, andcombinations thereof and/or other grid elements).

Also, in one aspect of the present invention a method for communicatingan IP message including an IP packet relating to data associated with atleast one grid element within an electric power grid, where the IPmessage communicated over a network associated with the electric powergrid is provided, including the steps of: providing at least one gridelement constructed and configured for electrical connection andnetwork-based communication with a server, a coordinator, and/or atleast one other grid element; the at least one grid elementcommunicating an IP-based message over the network, wherein the messageis preferably standards-based or proprietary; the IP message furtherincluding an IP packet having data associated with at least one gridelement and its intended active functioning within the electric powergrid. The methods further include providing an IP packet that includes acontent, a priority, a security, a transport route, and combinationsthereof. Also, methods further include the step of: automaticallytransforming raw data into transformed data associated with the at leastone grid element. Messages are sent via the network and include InternetProtocol (IP)-based messaging, which provides for secure communication,for example using encryption, private networks, or IP encapsulation overproprietary networks. Thus, the present invention preferably providessecure communications of the IP messages and IP packets, which areimproved over the prior art's use of analog telemetry such as in outagedetection systems, and telemetry sub-systems.

Furthermore, the present invention provides for the messages eithertransmitted to grid elements or from grid elements from varioussub-systems utilized for the electric power grid to themselves determinetheir route, their priority, their function, their content, theirsecurity based upon the condition of the electric power grid or theconditions of the market. Such dynamic changes are completely new andtaught as a mechanism to combine the ability of messages to takeadvantage of Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) Layers 1-4 and Layers5-7 whereby the protocols ability to communicate on a globally acceptedprotocol, but whereby the present invention teaches to change the layerswithin the protocols to respond to the various types of grid elementpackets that will be required in the network transformation.

The present invention does not intend to exclude the accepted transportsmethods of User Datagram Protocols (UDP), or Transport ControlProtocol/Internet Protocol, but rather utilize these accepted transportmethods once the grid element or coordinator have determined thefunction of the packet, the identifier for the element of the packet,the participation of the packet, the priority of the packet or whetherthe packet contains grid stability information, grid reliabilityinformation, market information, metrology, revenue grade information,or packets of transformed data that contain information needed tofacilitate market based energy financial settlements.

Each of these packets is able to utilize a coordinator. The coordinatoris able to utilize the Layer 1-4 information to determine the packet'sroute, network, sub-network, based upon the aforementioned contentwhereby the content drives the packet rather than the current methods.

In embodiments of the present invention, grid elements are transformedinto active grid elements following initial registration of each gridelement with the system, preferably through network-based communicationbetween the grid elements, a Coordinator, a translator, and a settlementprocessor. Also preferably, messaging is managed through a network by aCoordinator using IP messaging for communication with the grid elements,with the energy management system (EMS), Distribution Management System(DMS), and with the utilities, market participants, and/or gridoperators. Furthermore, the Coordinator is operable for receivinginformation communicated from grid elements, authenticating, andregistering grid elements, and for receiving and communicating dataassociated with the participation for supply, curtailment as supply,and/or consumption of electric power from the grid, and settlementassociated with that participation for each of the grid elements, againas contemplated by the aforementioned and any follow on FERC or NERCOrder that is meant to influence resources for capacity, energy, energyequivalents, micro/macro generation, storage technologies, transmissioncapacities, grid elements, ancillary services, settlement intersectionsknow and defined or those defined through the implementation of thisart, thereby transforming real-time or less than about 15 minuteinterval data into automated settlement. The Coordinator is furtheroperable for communicating data with a database, a persistence layer orcache, an ASIC or memory contained in a grid element or the processor,or combinations thereof and to provide an overall assessment of electricgrid operations (normal or emergency) including but not limited toenergy flows within the system, grid stabilization information,operating reserves, capacity, transmission and distribution capacities,grid element capacities, settlement, and combinations thereof.

Following registration, the multiplicity of active grid elementsfunction in the grid for control, reporting, status, grid operations(normal or emergency), any source of macro supply capacity/energy,supply as distributed energy resources from a plurality of methods,supply/energy through storage devices, and/or load curtailment as supplyor capacity, wherein the registered, active grid elements and theircorresponding activities and information associated with thoseactivities deliver electric supply to the electric grid, curtail loadsources, control active or passive grid elements used in the operationof the grid, or any other device that is attached to the electric gridfor its normal or emergency functions and are tracked and managed inaccordance with regulations and standards governing the electric powergrid. Reporting and tracking status of those grid elements with andthrough the coordinator or the coordinator in communication with legacygrid operator subsystems is also important in determining settlementsfor the aforementioned use cases. When grid elements are inactive,unanticipated outages, growth or changes in the electric grid,replacement of defective or upgrades to grid elements or a portion ofthe transmission or distribution system becomes inactive for a pluralityof reasons (grid element outage), the impact of these changes in normalgrid operation will impact settlements for those Market Participants orindividual sources of supply, curtailment and their associatedsettlements inclusive of grid elements.

In embodiments of the present invention, grid elements communicate IPmessages having IP packets, preferably through network-basedcommunication between the grid elements, a Coordinator, a translator,and a settlement processor. Also preferably, messaging is managedthrough a network by a Coordinator using IP messaging for communicationwith the grid elements, with the energy management system (EMS),Distribution Management System (DMS), and with the utilities, marketparticipants, and/or grid operators. The Coordinator is further operablefor communicating data with a database, a persistence layer or cache, anASIC or memory contained in a grid element or the processor, orcombinations thereof, and to provide an overall assessment of electricgrid operations (normal or emergency) including but not limited toenergy flows within the system, grid stabilization information,operating reserves, capacity, transmission and distribution capacities,grid element capacities, settlement, and combinations thereof.

A multiplicity of active grid elements function in the grid for control,reporting, status, grid operations (normal or emergency), any source ofmacro supply capacity/energy, supply as distributed energy resourcesfrom a plurality of methods, supply/energy through storage devices,and/or load curtailment as supply or capacity, and communicate IPmessages having IP packets that include transformed data associated withthose corresponding grid element activities or raw data collected,generated, sensed, stored, or measured by the grid element(s).

The present invention is provides a system for electric power gridIP-based message communication including: at least one grid elementconstructed and configured for electrical connection and network-basedcommunication with a server and/or a processor operatively coupled withmemory; wherein the grid element collects, generates, senses, storesand/or measures raw data associated with a predetermined function withinthe electric power grid that is performed by the grid element; the rawdata is transformed into transformed data associated with each of the atleast one active grid elements and provided in an IP packet forcommunication as an IP message, which is transmitted via a network,preferably a communications network, and wherein the transformation ofthe raw data is preferably automatic and/or autonomous.

In method steps according to the present invention, the method forIP-based message communications in an electric power grid includes thesteps of: providing at least one grid element having a processoroperatively coupled with memory, the at least one grid elementconstructed and configured for electrical connection and network-basedcommunication with a server, a coordinator, and/or at least one othergrid element; the grid element collecting, generating, sensing,detecting, storing and/or measuring raw data associated with apredetermined function within the electric power grid that is performedby the corresponding grid element; automatically transforming the rawdata into transformed data associated with the corresponding gridelement; generating an IP packet including the transformed data forcommunication as an IP message; and transmitting the IP message via acommunications network to the server, the coordinator, and/or the atleast one other grid element. Additional steps include: indicating apriority associated with the IP-based message, providing a security forthe IP-based message and its communication over the network, and/ordesignating or identifying a transport route for communicating theIP-based message via the network.

Also, the present invention provides a method for communicating an IPmessage including an IP packet relating to data associated with at leastone grid element within an electric power grid, where the IP messagecommunicated over a network associated with the electric power grid isprovided, including the steps of: providing at least one grid elementconstructed and configured for electrical connection and network-basedcommunication with a server, a coordinator, and/or at least one othergrid element; the at least one grid element communicating an IP-basedmessage over the network, wherein the message is preferablystandards-based or proprietary; the IP message further including an IPpacket having data associated with at least one grid element and itsintended functioning actively within the electric power grid. Themethods further include providing an IP packet that includes a content,a priority, a security, a transport route, and combinations thereof. Thecontent includes raw data, transformed data, status, change in status,function of the grid element, grid element identifier, and combinationsthereof. Also, methods further include the step of: automaticallytransforming raw data into transformed data associated with the at leastone grid element. Messages are sent via the network and include InternetProtocol (IP)-based messaging, which provides for secure communication,for example using encryption, private networks, or IP encapsulation overproprietary networks.

Regarding the factors of hierarchy for communications in presentinvention, the following layers are provided: build OSI model forapplication layer, or layers 4-7 that are specific to energy (2 usecases), because layers 1-3 will be defined by the standards; physicallink layer 1; layer 2 is transport; first place converting is the core,before going to the edges, but now going to the edges. The presentinvention uses these networks, but significantly the IP packet-basedmessages, especially those associated with critical infrastructure, aswith the electric power grid, water, natural gas, emergencycommunications, and combinations thereof, have priorities over othermessages within the network, for example wherein routine messages formetrology, updates, etc., are given a lesser priority even though theyare associated with the energy grid, while alert broadcast messaging asIP packets have a higher priority; this provides for priority of the IPpackets and IP packet-based messages of the present invention overcritical infrastructure networks.

Additionally, the IP packet-based messages of the present inventionoverride net neutrality, which provides for all packets to be treatedthe same or similarly with respect to priority of transport. Also, usingforms of encryption further enhance advanced grid stability programs, asthe grid and grid communications require it. In one example, encryptedenergy settlements data is provided within the IP packet as payload.

In another embodiment of the present invention, individual virtualprivate network virtual private network (VPN) networks for different useare provided and are within the scope of the invention. This providesfor use of existing communication systems for IP packet transport. Byestablishing hierarchy within existing networks, e.g., distributedgeneration with VPN, firewall with security, encryption, etc. In oneexample, grid elements decode messages and the IP packets they receive.At a software layer, thin client or messaging brokers are provided toensure message integrity for delivery, response, and/or monitoringpurposes within the present invention. In a managed network, if one ringor one route fails, the other route picks it up (backup) based uponhierarchy and/or priority, through at least one coordinator and/orcommunications router.

Network congestion and queuing theory is used for IP packet and IPpacket-based messaging traffic engineering over the networks is providedfor the present invention, wherein monitoring of the traffic to observewhat packets are passing through or not. Deep packet inspection, orflags with priority instructions based upon the needs of the grid areprovided. If IP packets are queued then at the attachment point, thegenerator can do primary frequency control, etc. with thisfunctionality. EMS provides shadow settlements and/or actual energy andfinancial settlements to queue inside a messaging broker, so that when aconnection is reestablished, then the messaging order continues, andmessaging moves again under the hierarchy established by the rulesengine(s) and/or priority messaging of the IP packets of the presentinvention.

New rules are provided for controls for microgeneration, includingsolar, storage, wind, etc., to isolate themselves from the primaryelectric power grid, wherein controls within the microgrid or controlarea are provided over an Ethernet architecture where IP packets and/orIP packet-based messaged are managed by the static and/or dynamicpriorities of the electric power grid and the hierarchy in which theyare needed for grid operations based upon factors includingnear-real-time requirements of the electric power grid, includingfactors for determining the priority and presentation based upon thedynamic priority of the electric power grid at any given time, whichinclude grid reliability factors, grid stability factors, energymarket-based factors, billing determinants, energy settlement factors,financial settlement factors, transmission factors, and revenue grademetrology.

Control, priority and security for IP packets and their communicationsare important. There is no implementation today of IP packet-basedcommunication for prioritized, secure, controlled messaging for electricpower grid intelligence within the energy sector or within othercommodities, including electricity, oil, gas, water, natural gas, etc.as well as for renewable energy. The present invention provides completeIP packet communications over IP networks for control of the gridelements, their functionality and/or participation in the electric powergrid or microgrid. By contrast, the prior art legacy patchwork systemrelies on TDM networks because of speed and lack of latency, even thoughdata requirement is small. Digital POTS lines are connected to TDMframes. Time division multiplexing (TDM) networks use frame counters,such as DS1, DS3, DS152, etc. to aggregate and then send messages oversynchronous optical networks, break them down, send to end recipient.Redundant TDM circuits are required to have a backup for electric gridcritical infrastructure communications. Analog telemetry datarequirement is not high. And sending messages in the clear allows forinterception by unauthorized entities, so the state of the art withinthe electric power grid is not secure, prioritized, or controlled anddoes not use IP packet-based messaging for its management,communications, settlements, and/or operation to maintain grid stabilityand grid reliability, as with the present invention.

Interoperability is provided with the IP packet-based messaging systemsand methods of the present invention. For example, providing for FCCpublic safety and homeland security bureau requirements forinteroperability. Industry-accepted standards are provided, from whichany IP packet can pass through an IP-based network wherein all networkelements and grid elements associated with the electric power grid areconstructed and configured to send, receive, process, and/or communicateany IP packet based on its priority, hierarchy of grid operations and/orfunctionality, and presentation, transport any IP packet, determine theany IP packet route, and combinations thereof. The IP packets andmessages of the present invention do not affect the application fromlayers 5-7 (session, presentation, application), and the IP-basednetwork is not concerned. When the IP packet is passed to itsdestination, the software and hardware of the destination grid elementis prepared, programmed, and configured to process it automatically andrespond, activate, modify, update, and combinations, based upon the IPpacket content or payload. The layers that deal with the payload of thefunction and hierarchy will be interpreted by, acted on, and/orprocessed by an RTU, coordinator, server destination associated with thegrid (by way of example and not limitation, a settlement processor),and/or any Grid Element. While IP packet transport generally is known byprior art, it is not used and applied for the communications describedherein. Notably, the IP packet prioritization, security, and/ortransport routing, and the transformation of the data within the IPpacket is not described or disclosed in the prior art. Significantly,according to the systems and methods of the present invention, the IPpacket content or payload, as well as the IP packet itself, istransformed based upon the needs (and hierarchy of needs or factors) ofthe electric power grid and what the grid element is capable of, i.e.,constructed and configured to do for its functionality, participation,and/or performance within the electric power grid and the IPpacket-based communication associated with that grid elementfunctionality, participation, and/or performance. In the prior art, theadvance meter infrastructure (AMI) function is after-the-fact tabledata. Changes are required to address problems with integrating demandresponse, micro grids, and distributed generation, which changes must bedealt with in the higher order layers. By way of example and notlimitation, the IP packets used with service oriented architecture (SOA)for the IP-based communications network associated with the electricpower grid of the present invention operates to allow the IP packetsfrom the source grid element and/or controlling grid element, to thedestination grid element, and/or reverse, based upon the hierarchy thatis established or determined by electric power grid needs, which aredynamic. This overcomes a longstanding, unmet need of the grid that isnot solved with the prior art.

By way of introduction of and background for packet switching androuting technology, the present invention improves upon existinginternet protocol (IP) communications have advanced, and the evolutioninto IP core and end use telecommunication methods, with a key driverbeing the evolution of the wireless standards from analog to digital toIP3G and IP 4G, etc. and WI-FI variations. Although 802.15.4 ZIGBEE isnot really IP, it is like a proprietary protocol, and is evolving thatway because need for encryption, security, and control. Primary use casefor these has been metrology collection, but notably the prior artsolutions were not built for load or supply management; after the fact,historical view of the data, coupled with statistical analytics is usedin the industry to attempt to provide future projections. See“Engineering and Operations in the Bell System, 2d edition, Reorganizedand Rewritten, Telecommunications in the Bell System 1982-1983”, whichis incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, including Table ofContents that teaches analog telephony system was converted from thatstate into traffic & queuing theory, signaling and switching used tomanage the traffic on the network.

The present invention provides communications and signaling systems fortransmission reservations, which help to eliminate established OATIprocesses. If transmission is available, the system automaticallyreserves it (preferably, in advance); every transaction is accountedfor; tags verify power flows through transmission metering. This exampleprovides for a transmission reservation packet; similarly a distributionreservation packet is provided for information about the flow ofelectric power or for the delivery of power from supply grid elementslocated at any attachment point in the grid.

By contrast, IP routing is different. For example in VOIP, in businessor residence, a data pipe is connected to an edge router associated withthe business or residence. Behind the edge router IP/ IPV4 are privateaddresses. After edge router, with IPV6 every address is static, ordefined. The edge router includes MAC (media access codes), equipmentidentifiers, etc. for mobile devices, and include a firewall, whichblocks packets from reaching destination or clients (PC, grid element,IP phone, etc.). IP phone attaches to a converter that provides analogvoice, converts to IP packet with private address. IP-basedcommunication is asynchronous, follows OSI stack layers 1-3; layer 1 isphysical link (cable, modulation, etc.); layer 2 is network layer(Ethernet, or facilitated by cable or wireless); layer 3 is data layertransmission. Edge router is programmed to look for another grid elementto communicate with, e.g., like class 5 office for telephony; mid-levelrouter. The edge router will look for defined IP range and if it's not adefined route, then multiple routes, and another mid-level router.Dynamic host control processor (DHCP) monitors the Ethernet packets andwaits for a chance to insert a request for access. A packet request forIP address is provided. Telephone number is a subscriber ID. The staticIP is similar to phone number for home location databases and visitorlocation databases. Home location register knows where you are.

Mid-level router are typically owned by same company, but notnecessarily. If yes, then within IP stack of ISP, e.g., TWC. ISPboundaries are not always rigidly defined, especially in power networksor telephone networks. This makes IP networks more secure, and morereliable (e.g., DARPAnet). Mid-level routers go to core routers,typically owned by Tier 1 ISPs. Big IP transmission lines between ISPsare owned by large companies, e.g., UUnet, Sprint, AT&T, etc. ISPs wereclassed like stack ranges of IP addresses being classed. Then IPaddresses could be re-used. And private networks. IP addresses changes(e.g., every 24 h) b/c tables within the routers that keep track of howto route the client device to its destination. The core router couldalso be Yahoo.com; to resolve to an IP address to deliver or receivecontent, then must have static IP, or update tables everywhere (routingtables). Power routing also has other rings for routing; smaller ringsprovide for improved reliability.

Core routers are similar to big transmission in the electric power grid,and are all asynchronous. The key thing is that in the upper layers, thepriority information exists (as a presentation layer). There aresecurity needs for priority access in IP networks and for wirelessnetworks. Big fiber rings are provided between core routers, which areall interconnected. The Layers 1-3 define how things are being movedaround.

The present invention systems and methods provide for IP packet trackingthrough at least one coordinator. For example, the energy managementsystem (EMS) tracks for grid reliability, grid stability, energy flows,price, transmission and/or distribution wires status and need, customerneed, etc., and combinations thereof. IP packets within the presentinvention have a priority, priority status, and/or prioritization basedupon the grid hierarchy factors, including but not limited to emergency,outage, operating reserves (reliability and grid stability), market, andcombinations thereof.

Generally, the grid elements do not change their identification forpurposes of grid element function, performance, and/or participation inthe grid. But they will have an IP address, selected from IP4 or IP6, orsuccessor standards, wireless or wired, and is static or dynamic. Gridelements can be moved from a first location to a second or subsequentlocation (or multiplicity) and when a grid element moves, it willgenerate an IP packet with the location change information and/or thegrid attachment point change information, and transmit the IP packetwithin the IP network, and the received IP packet at a destination (byway of example and not limitation, a coordinator, a server for gridoperations or grid management, and/or a settlement processor) willfunction to re-register and/or update the grid element registration sothat the grid server computer has the accurate location, function,status, ownership, and/or attachment point, of each active grid element.Notably, each grid element has a unique identifier that does not change,e.g., a serial number, token key, etc., and there are sometimes prefixesor suffixes to the unique identifier. This example illustrates aregistration IP packet, an update IP packet, and/or a function IPpacket.

In another example, a nuclear power station providing power to aresource node or transmission line and has associated with it an addressof its IP-based communications that are able to change, but the uniquegrid element identifier will not change. Grid elements that distributeor regulate power to power consuming devices are more likely to change,have different functionality, update requirements, etc. than gridelements that provide for macro-generation. But small, mobile gridelements will still have a static grid element identifier (or portionthereof) and their location identifier and L1-3 identifiers will changewhen they move and are able to change if they do not move. Mobile gridelements further include smart meters, mobile storage, electricvehicles, mobile microgeneration sources, etc. Note that there is no SS7equivalent in a power network. There is telemetry and EMS that are usedto stabilize the network for grid stability and reliability, but thetransactions to manage the delivery power are done at transmissionboundaries; it's manually intensive to move power over the grid. Gridelements do not currently have network intelligence in the prior art.The present invention provides for grid elements intelligence, andnetwork intelligence, with the IP packet-based messaging with gridelements that are prioritized, routed, and have a security thatcorresponds to the grid element functionality, participation, and/orperformance within the electric power grid. There are no routing tablesin the power grid network prior art. There are switches at electricalbus level; but no routes that are addressable like communications.Advantageously, the present invention systems and methods provide IPmessages having IP packets with prioritized communications to move bothinformation and power, to control, and/or to settle energy and providemarket-based financial settlements with IP packets and IP packet-basedmessaging. This provides new intelligence that gives new visibility withIP packets and their hierarchy along the grid that has alignment withand corresponds with electric power grid functionality, and itshierarchy factors for operations and corresponding communications andcontrols.

The present invention provides for an IP message that includes an IPpacket that includes at least one of the following, and combinationsthereof: a content, a priority, a security, and a transport route.Preferably, at least two security levels are provided, including aminimum security (i.e., not open or unsecured), a standard security(that is greater than the minimum security), an increased security withrespect to the standard security, a top level security, and combinationsthereof. Preferably, at least one transport route is provided for the IPmessage communication over the network; the at least one transport routeincluding fixed, routable by a coordinator, and dynamic.

Preferably, the priority is selected from a standard time-based and/orfunction-based priority, a normal priority, an increased priority (withrespect to the normal priority), a top level priority (with respect toall priorities), a market-based priority, a static priority, a dynamicor changing priority, and combinations thereof. In one embodiment of thepresent invention, the system provides at least two levels of priority,wherein at least one level of priority is based upon the dynamicpriority of the electric power grid at any given time, which is basedupon the needs of the electric power grid, which generally follow theprioritization in the order of grid stability (e.g. outage reporting),grid reliability, market price, general grid communications, etc.;however, the priority further depends upon governing authority or entityof the grid; the market price or unit being removed from service ortransmission line or LMP; the need for auto-dispatch control, loadgeneration, curtailment, etc. where the IP messaging of the presentinvention provides for automatic and/or intelligent routing responsiveto the prioritized needs of the grid, with secure, prioritizedcommunications using a managed network and/or a hybrid managed network.Also, priority inspection of the IP packet is provided by thecoordinator; additional inspection by the coordinator includes automaticreview of IP packet content, composition, priority, payload,presentation, and combinations thereof. Thus, the IP messagingautomatically drives the functionality and/or participation of the gridelements based upon the hierarchy of needs and/or prioritization of theelectric power grid. Preferably, the IP message having the IP packet isoperable to route itself through a coordinator or directly bypassing ifthe appliance has many routes from it to other grid elements orsubsystems, all on a managed network. In another embodiment of thepresent invention, an appliance can be retrofitted to existing gridelements to transform them into active intelligent grid elements, whichare included within the housing of the grid element. The intelligentgrid elements, devices and/or software operate to transform each of thegrid elements into active grid elements.

The present invention provides systems and methods for generating andcommunicating an IP-based message for an energy management,communications, and/or financial settlements system. Also the presentinvention provides an IP message including: an internet protocol (IP)packet that is generated automatically by transforming a raw datacontent into a transformed content corresponding to participation in anelectric power grid by at least one grid element. Preferably, the IPpacket of the present invention is constructed and configured fortransmission over an IP-based network used for energy management andfinancial settlements communications. Preferably, the IP packet isroutable through the network by a coordinator. In one embodiment, the IPpacket is automatically generated by the at least one grid element.

In a system for communication of IP-based messages within an electricpower grid network according to the present invention, the systemincludes: at least one grid element having a processor operativelycoupled with a memory, and at least one server, each constructed andconfigured for electrical connection and network-based communication viaa network; at least one coordinator constructed and configured forelectrical connection and network-based communication via the network;an IP-based message associated with at least one of the grid elements,the IP-based message including an internet protocol (IP) packet that isgenerated autonomously and/or automatically by transforming a raw datacontent into a transformed content, wherein the raw data contentcorresponds to the grid element participation in an electric power grid.

DEP thru IP packet, based upon the dynamic priority of the electricpower grid at any given time, based upon the needs of the electric powergrid, which generally follow the 1-6 priorities; depends upon governingauthority or entity of the grid; outage for grid stability is #1; marketprice or unit being removed from service or transmission line or LMP;times when a message will dictate and auto-dispatch control, loadgeneration, curtailment, etc. without being told b/c respond to needs ofthe grid due to intelligent routing, needs of the grid, and using amanaged network. Preferably, the packet is operable to route itselfthrough a coordinator or directly bypassing the coordinator if theactive grid element and/or intelligent appliance has many routes fromits location to other grid elements or subsystems, all on a managednetwork or hybrid managed network.

A grid element is any functional component within an electric powergrid. By way of example and not limitation, at least one of the gridelements is a control device that operates, programs and updates selectload consuming device(s) or generating devices associated with theelectric power grid (including but not limited to control systems,thermostats, controllers, anything that controls the device, switchgear, large control systems operating from a control center or box withinterface to a large control system, such as a distribution automationcontrol system; transformation process includes whatever control systemsare attached to the electric devices, their databases, tables, memory,ASICs, firmware, software, operating systems, and combinations thereofand/or other grid elements).

The systems, methods, and the IP-based messages of the present inventionare applicable to grid element management, communications associatedwith grid element participation in an electric power grid for at leastone predetermined function and relating to at least one predeterminedlocation (although some grid elements are mobile, while others arestatic and have a fixed geodetic location), and/or financial settlementsfor grid element participation in an electric power grid. Messagesassociated with financial settlements for grid element participation inthe electric power grid for energy consumption, load curtailment, and/orsupply of electric power are particularly important inasmuch as thepresent invention provides for transformed data associated with each ofthe grid elements, which further include settlement grade data.

The following patent applications by the inventor are incorporatedherein by reference in their entirety: application Ser. No. 13/463,761filed May 3, 2012 (Pub. No. 2012/0221162); application Ser. No.13/463,781 filed May 3, 2012 (Pub. No. 2012/0239218); application Ser.No. 13/464,665 filed May 4, 2012 (Pub. No. 2012/0221163); applicationSer. No. 13/466,725 filed May 8, 2012 (Pub. No. 2012/0239219);application Ser. No. 13/471,589 filed May 15, 2012 (Pub. No.2012/0226384); application Ser. No. 13/471,575 filed May 15, 2012 (PubNo. 2012/0245753); application Ser. No. 13/528,596 filed Jun. 20, 2012(Pub. No. 2013/0345888); application Ser. No. 13/549,429 filed Jul. 14,2012 (Pub. No. 2014/0018969); application Ser. No. 13/563,535 filed Jul.31, 2012 (Pub. No. 2014/0039699); and application Ser. No. 13/659,564filed Oct. 24, 2012 (Pub. No. 2014/0114844).

In one embodiment of the present invention, a multiplicity of serversand corresponding databases that are constructed and configured innetwork-based communication for receiving transformed data within IPpackets from a multiplicity of grid elements is provided, wherein thedatabases are cross-linked or associated in network communication, andfurther include internal tables with rows, columns, and values; theserver extracts, transforms, and replicates data across the databases.As will be appreciated to one of ordinary skill in the art, thedatabases include at least one production database, and connectionlayers in at least two parts, further including middleware that connectsmultiple applications to databases (APIs that are SOA-based), and thatallow native applications to send info in SIMM format to allowconnection to databases, messaging engine(s) that interact with a cacheor persistence layer, and applications that sit on top of it, as well asfirewalls and other physical security, encryption layers, andcombinations. Encryption is able to be direct networked, cloud-based,IP-based or Ethernet-based network encryption.

The at least one coordinator provides for routing messages from themultiplicity of grid elements through the network connecting thedatabases associated with corresponding servers, and wherein serversoperating the databases exchange information associated with the gridelements for affecting grid stabilization.

Each grid element is registered with the system and wherein theregistration of grid elements is stored in the databases forpredetermined periods of time for use with a financial settlementassociated with the grid elements, and the information relating tofinancial settlement of the participation of the at least one gridelement is stored in a database, and any raw measurement data istransformed into settled measurements for storage in a database.Furthermore, the information relating to grid elements participation istransformed from raw data into settlement data, and wherein thesettlement data is stored in a database. Preferably, a web-based graphicuser interface (GUI) display operates to communicate information to thegrid operator(s) via encrypted IP-based communication. Raw data are notrequired to be retained in the database(s); however, transformed dataand transformation methods are retained, and transformed settled dataare retained in the case of financial and/or settlement data from thegrid elements. This is important so that if market rules change, thenthe system and methods of the present invention provide for optimizedsettlement based upon updating the settled data to reflect latest rules.Thus the analytics engine(s) provides for reversible, updatable datafrom raw to settled, and then updated settled, to improve the settlementfinancial amount to compensate the participation of the grid element(s)within the electric power grid at the optimal rates for that period oftime for the participation. Overall, the present invention provides forbetter, more accurate messages and transformed data, in particular forsettlements data, including settlements in any format, includingtraditional currency or commodity trading or valuation, bartering KWP inPTB unit(s) in exchange for non-currency remuneration, credits, andcombinations thereof

The registration information associated with grid elements is used todetermine attachment points to the electric power grid for distributionand transmission of power, and wherein the attachment point informationassociated with the grid elements is communicated to the settlementprocessor.

The settlement information associated with grid elements is preferablyfurther communicated to or accessible by the market participant,utility, grid operator, etc., wherein a settlement is made for each gridelement, and the settlement complies with regulations and/or standardsestablished by FERC, NERC, and/or a governing authority for the electricpower grid.

The server communicates a settlement message with each of the at leastone grid elements via the network, wherein the settlement message ispreferably an IP-based message. The grid element participation in thegrid is provided for use by market participants via a display through aweb-services enabled GUI. It is accessible to and/or communicated viathe network to payer and payee, trader, consumer, resource provider,TDSP, and/or market participant or entity who would benefit from havingthe capacity to monitor settlements including but not limited to ISO,RTO, etc., which need visibility to clearing price, and to financialsettlements for grid element participation. Empirical data of thepresent invention associated with each grid element, because of itsactual data collection over less than 15 minute intervals, has moregranularity than modeling used in the prior art, so that the presentinvention systems and methods provide higher accuracy information thatis relevant to making market-timing decisions and actions relating toparticipation by grid elements and owners thereof. For example and byway of comparison, this is not unlike futures trading in the markets,which requires visibility into clearing price. The exchange ofinformation and its display and representation of data for advanced andautomated settlements is preferably associated with kilowatt packets,PSVs, and PTBs. Real-time access for trading and for participation inthe grid by grid elements is improved. Speed and security of data, inaddition to increased accuracy and increased timeliness of data providedand communicated within the systems and methods of the present inventionprovide for improved financial settlements for participants. Empiricaldata has more granularity than modeling used in the prior art, thepresent invention provides higher accuracy information that is relevantto making market-timing decisions and actions relating to participationby grid elements and owners thereof, for example and by way ofcomparison like futures trading in the markets, which requiresvisibility into clearing price.

This IP-based message and IP packet having content elements (including,preferably, transformed data content) associated with the grid elementparticipation is transmitted either wired or wirelessly by gridelements, and includes an interface that facilitates communication ofthe message with the grid elements, such as an interface that includesan IP-based interface. An IP-based interface is preferably selected fromthe group consisting essentially of WIMAX, High Speed Packet Access(HSPA), Evolution for Data Only (EVDO), Long Term Evolution (LTE), anyfirst or second generation wireless transport method such as EDGE, orCode Division Multiple Access, Ethernet, any proprietary Layer 1-4protocol that contains or is capable of transporting an InternetProtocol message, and combinations thereof. Preferably, the settlementmessage includes a derived Power Supply Value that meets the minimumrequirements for measurement, verification and reporting accuracy asdetermined by the Governing Entity that regulates the operation of theelectric power grid that includes utilities, market participants and/orgrid operators.

Also, the systems and methods of the present invention include asecurity interface associated with each of the grid elements operable toreceive security system messages from at least one remotely-locatedsecurity system, wherein the security interface is standards-based ordetermined by the governing entity that regulates grid operations forutilities, market participants or grid operators.

The IP-based message of the present invention and its IP packet furtherinclude a delivery priority including at least one of a plurality ofmethods to include priority access flags, virtual private networks,independent identifying addresses (MAC, IP, Electronic Serial Numbers),manufacturers specific identifying codes, or combinations thereof,wherein the methods comply with standards as determined by the governingentity that regulates grid operations for utilities, market participantsor grid operators. There are dedicated routes for the IP-based messageand its IP packet, the routes over private networks that are Ethernet orproprietary, or other prioritized packet or encryption formats that havebeen created or approved for settlements by the governing body and/orstandards bodies.

The grid element(s) further include at least one mobile device having atleast one access point name (APN) for providing a priority of deliveryfor the message, wherein the at least one grid element transmits asignal or communicates a message to the server at the point of initialconnection with the server via the network. Thus, the system initiates asettlement request based upon disconnection, etc., or a customer orowner of any grid element (user) initiates the settlement based uponuser-inputs (from a mobile device, a computer, etc.) or by any profilechange for any grid element.

The grid elements communicate a signal or a settlement message toinitiate a financial settlement corresponding to participation in theelectric power grid, and the signal or the settlement message is routedthrough a coordinator, which routes the settlement message to thesettlement processor.

The IP-based message further includes at least one of: a geodeticreference, a element identifier, a grid element type, a grid elementfunction, a grid element capacity, a grid element profile, a gridelement attachment point reference, a kilowatt packet (KWP) value, agrid element power supply value (PSV), a grid element power trade block(PTB) value, a grid element balancing authority association, a gridelement owner identifier, a grid element compatibility identifier, andcombinations thereof.

The IP-based message (and/or its IP packet and/or its content) of thepresent invention includes factors for grid stability-based pricing,operating reserves-based pricing, factors considering peak and off-peaktiming, and combinations thereof, and further include measured data thatprovides higher rate for settlement compared with projected, estimated,or VEE rate, and includes variable, higher, and more accurate rate forsettlement, compared with projected or VEE. Thus the coordinator and/orserver with information from the coordinator transforms the raw datafrom grid element participation in the grid into more accuratesettlement data, which is then compensated at the optimal rate for thatparticipation for that given time period. Preferably, the financialsettlement is managed by a clearinghouse between market participants andutilities, and further includes individual cooperatives, groups(non-traditional), and non-boundary constrained groups, cooperativesthat function to aggregate groups, etc.

Preferably, upon registration with the grid, each of the grid elementshas a home location identifier and a non-home location identifier, andwherein the financial settlement includes factors and attributes forgrid element participation associated with the home location identifierand with the non-home location identifier, which further includesfactors associated with boundaries, regulations associated with each ofthe boundaries including factors affecting settlement across boundaries,within boundaries, etc., and considers the participation of the gridelements based upon location, and rules governing their Marketparticipation.

The present invention provides a system for electric power grid elementand network management including: at least one grid element constructedand configured for electrical connection and IP network-basedcommunication with a server and/or a processor operatively coupled witha memory; wherein the grid element is transformed into at least oneactive grid element after initial connection with the server and/or theprocessor operatively coupled with the memory via a network. Preferably,the transformation for grid elements is automatic and/or autonomous. Inone embodiment of the present invention, the server and/or processorcoupled with memory initiates the transformation of the at least onegrid element into the active grid element. In another case, the at leastone grid element transmits a signal or communicates an IP-based messageincluding an IP packet to the server at the point of initial connectionwith the server via the network, and/or the at least one grid elementcommunicates a signal or a message to initiate its transformation viaregistration with the electric power grid; preferably, the signal or themessage is routed through a Coordinator, which routes the message to agrid operator's appropriate subsystem depending on the function of thegrid element. For grid stability, supply, and curtailment technologiesfunctioning as supply as contemplated by FERC Order 745 the message mustbe routed to an EMS. Also, preferably, the message further includes atleast one of: a geodetic reference, a grid element identifier, a gridelement type, a grid element function, a grid element capacity and orenergy capability, a grid element profile, a grid element attachmentpoint reference, grid element telemetry capabilities and requirementsbased upon its function, a grid element power supply value (PSV), a gridelement power trade block (PTB) value, a grid element balancingauthority association, a grid element owner identifier, a grid elementcompatibility identifier, and combinations thereof.

Also preferably, the network-based communication is a standards-basedcommunication or a proprietary communications protocol, and thecommunication is routable through a router and/or through a Coordinator,wherein the Coordinator receives and sends messages through acommunications router. A translator is preferably further associatedwith the settlement processor and/or coordinator(s), for example, butnot limited to the illustration of FIG. 31. The message includes aderived Power Supply Value that meets the minimum requirements formeasurement, verification and reporting accuracy as determined by theGoverning Entity that regulates the operation of the electric power gridthat includes utilities, market participants and/or grid operators suchthat the derived PSV is settled in the appropriate power market by asettlement manager or appropriate market participant or entitydetermining economic benefits associated with the provision of supplyand/or curtailment by the active grid elements registered and functionalwithin the electric power grid and responsive to the needs andrequirements of the grid. Also, the message has a deliver priorityincluding at least one of a plurality of methods to include priorityaccess flags, virtual private networks, independent identifyingaddresses (MAC, IP, Electronic Serial Numbers), manufacturers specificidentifying codes, or combinations thereof, wherein the methods complywith standards as determined by the governing entity that regulates gridoperations for utilities, market participants or grid operators. Also,the active grid element(s) further includes at least one mobile ornetwork device having at least one access point name (APN) for providinga priority of delivery for the message.

The present invention provides for a plurality of grid elements thattransform into a corresponding plurality of active grid elements afterinitial connection with the server via the network, and the at least onegrid element includes at least one electrical device, a device thatconsumes electric power from an electric power grid, and/or a devicethat provides power to an electric power grid, a control device, thatoperates, programs, and/or updates other active grid elements. Activegrid elements are eligible to participate in settlement-relatedactivities, as illustrated in FIG. 31, and described hereinabove. Thus,grid elements are also selected from the group consisting of: a sensor,a transmission reporting or control device, a distribution systemreporting or control device, a power-consuming device, an appliance, anyinductive device that consumes power, any resistive device that consumespower, a meter (revenue grade or non-revenue grade), a switch, acontroller, a control device, a thermostat, a building control system, asecurity device, any other distribution automation and elements that arepart of distribution system such as transformers, traditional and solidstate bi-directional, capacitor banks, reclosers, and combinationsthereof. Also, at least one of the grid elements is under the control ofan energy management system (EMS) associated with the electric powergrid. Preferably, systems and methods of the present invention providefor micro-economic dispatch capabilities, including sub-micro-economicdispatch, and settlement therefor, which provide for security of gridoperations and corresponding settlement for grid element participationin response to information provided by ISOs relating to outage, pricing,transmission congestion, and combinations thereof. The systems andmethods of the present invention provide micro-level responsivenesssince each grid element's participation includes forecasting modelingassociated with “asset” availability at the macro level, as well assub-EMS level market economic modeling at the resource node at the microlevel, with all communications relating to the micro-level beingcommunicated through the coordinator to allow KWP, PSV, and aggregationto form at least one PTB for grid element participation andcorresponding financial settlement for that participation.

Following the registration through the Coordinator, the transformationrelating to the active grid element enables the active grid element toprovide status and function for providing normal and emergency gridoperation, energy flows, transmission losses, reactive power, operatingreserves and/or grid stabilization for the electric power grid, and thetransformation is registered in a database, and the database isregistered with an ISO, BA, Market Participant, NERC, utility servicearea, and/or FERC. For security and management by the Coordinator,preferably each of the at least one grid elements has a unique gridelement identifier associated with it. Where the Coordinator interactswith or interfaces with legacy systems, in particular relating tosettlement, as illustrated in FIG. 31, the Coordinator preferablyupdates the legacy systems associated with the grid and relevant to thegrid element(s) through the translator or other dedicated softwareinterface with the legacy systems.

The present invention also provides a multiplicity of databasesconstructed and configured in network-based communication for receivingregistration data from a multiplicity of active grid elements, whereinat least one Coordinator for routing messages from the multiplicity ofactive grid elements through the network connecting the databases, andwherein servers operating the databases exchange information associatedwith the active grid elements for affecting electric grid operations,reporting, and/or stabilization, including service oriented architecture(SOA), Web Services (Web Services Description Language “WSDL”),published APIs, private APIs, and combinations thereof Also,registration of grid elements and information or data relating to theirtransformation into active grid elements, including the attributes ofthe active grid elements, are stored in the databases for predeterminedperiods of time for use with economic and energy accounting settlementassociated with the active grid elements, and the registrationinformation associated with active grid elements is used to determineattachment points to the electric power grid for distribution andtransmission of power, and is further combined with information aboutthe generation, transmission, and distribution system of the electricpower grid, stored in the database, and processed with analytics tosimulate modeling for attachment of active grid elements to the electricpower grid. Furthermore, the registration information associated withactive grid elements is used for communication with an EMS or other gridsubsystems necessary for normal or emergency grid operations.Additionally, a registration is made for each active grid element, andthe registration complies with regulations and/or standards establishedby Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) North American ElectricReliability Commission (NERC), Independent System Operator (ISO),Regional Transmission Organization (RTO), and/or a governing authorityfor the electric power grid. In any case, the server communicates amessage to each of the at least one active grid elements after theinitial connection and registration through the coordinator via thenetwork, wherein the message is an IP-based message, which is preferablytransmitted over a plurality of Ethernet capable communicationsnetworks, wired or wirelessly transmitted over a communications network.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the system furtherincludes an interface that facilitates communication of the message withthe grid elements, the interface including an IP-based interface, whichis selected from the group consisting of WIMAX, High Speed Packet Access(HSPA), Evolution for Data Only (EVDO), Long Term Evolution (LTE), anyfirst or second generation wireless transport method such as EDGE, orCode Division Multiple Access, Ethernet, any proprietary Layer 1-4protocol that contains or is capable of transporting an InternetProtocol message, and combinations thereof. The present inventionfurther includes a security interface associated with each of the gridelements operable to receive security system messages from at least oneremotely-located security system, wherein the security interface isstandards-based or determined by the governing entity that regulatesgrid operations for utilities, market participants or grid operators.

In another embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for smartelectric power grid communication is provided, including: a grid elementconstructed and configured for electrical connection and network-basedcommunication with a server associated with an electric power grid;wherein the grid element is transformed into an active grid elementafter initial connection with the electric power grid, and wherein thegrid element includes a unique identifier. Preferably, thetransformation is automatic and/or autonomous, following initialactivation of the grid element, and then the grid element isauthenticated, registered, and then performs the function intended to dowithin the grid. So then as grid elements are transformed to active gridelements for participation in the electric power grid, in particular forthose having a function intended as providing supply, includingproviding the TDSP with a network simulation model, as part of theregistration process, the grid element has either loaded in itsprocessor and memory or is capable of downloading grid information thatallows for the grid to “self-model” the impact of the attachment of thatelement to the grid.

Preferably, the grid element transmits a signal or a message to theserver, more preferably through a Coordinator, for registering with theelectric power grid, and communicates wirelessly with the server,preferably via IP messaging with the server after attachment to theelectric power grid. Such apparatus embodiments for active grid elementsinclude or are selected from the group consisting of: a sensor, apower-consuming device, an appliance, a meter, distribution and/ortransmission elements, telemetry elements, power supplying device,storage device, controller, and combinations thereof.

In methods for electric power grid network management, the inventionincludes the steps of: providing at least one grid element constructedand configured for electrical connection and network-based communicationwith a server, energizing the at least one grid element and/orconnecting the at least one grid element to an electric power grid; theat least one grid element making an initial connection with the servervia a network and communicating a message to the server; and the atleast one grid element automatically transforming into at least oneactive grid element for functioning actively within the electric powergrid. Preferably, the method further includes the step of: the at leastone grid element sending and/or receiving a message via communicationwith the server via the network, wherein the message is routed by acoordinator to the server. Also preferably, the communication iswireless transmission, and includes wireless IP-based messaging.

In operation of the system and methods of the invention, thecommunication further includes power event messages that further includeat least one of: status of device(s), supply source(s), and/or demand;location of attachment; line losses; distribution and transmissioncapacity information; and combinations thereof, and the power eventmessages are based upon inputs initiated from a market participant, autility, or an electric grid operator. Also, the power event messagesinclude information about PSV or PTB associated with the at least onegrid element.

While present invention relates generally to the field of electricalpower control systems and more particularly to systems, methods, andapparatus embodiments for transforming grid elements into active gridelements following an initial registration with the electric power gridthrough a coordinator, following transformation of the grid elements toactive grid elements, the electric power grid is functional for activemanagement of power supply from any electric power generation source orstorage device for introduction to an electric power grid, and/or loadcurtailment for consideration as supply. Preferably, these systems andmethods and any apparatus embodiments of the present invention are incompliance with standards that are currently contemplated and arechanging in response to the recognized need in the United States andother countries where the electric utility grid is not fully developed,but the demand for energy is expected to grow substantially over thelife of the invention (e.g., NERC, FERC orders 745, 750, 755, etc.).Once transformed into active grid elements, the present inventionsystems, methods, and apparatus embodiments are operable to furtherprovide for actively managing power supply from any generation sourcesupply or storage and/or power supply from curtailment events applied toload consuming devices, thereby creating operating reserves forutilities and market participants, while optionally tracking powersavings for both the individual customer, broadly defined as anyconsumer of electrical power whether this is an individual residentialconsumer, a large commercial/industrial customer or any combinationthereof inclusive of retail electric providers and market participants,as well as the electric utility or electric power generation sourcesupply (GSS), whether generating or distributing power for the electricpower grid. Therefore, active grid elements include functionality forpower generation supply, power storage supply, and/or load curtailmentas supply, as well as load-consuming elements, telemetry elements,sensors, meters, controls, and combinations thereof. Where active gridelements change location or attachment to the electric power grid, thentheir active grid element attributes change accordingly to indicate thenew, updated location and/or attachment point information or data. Wherea portion of the electric power grid changes due to normal operation, ordue to any element being out of service for any reason, includingdysfunction of distribution and/or transmission of electric power alongthe lines to active grid elements and/or the communications networkchanges or has dysfunction, then preferably, the active grid elementsare acknowledged by the system through the coordinator upon theirreconnection with the grid and/or communications network. Furthermore,any active grid element is replaced with a new or substitute gridelement, or taken out of service for more than a predetermined period oftime, then the replacement or substitute grid element must be registeredto be transformed into an active grid element as with any new gridelement being introduced into service at any location or attachmentpoint associated with the electric power grid. Where reconfiguration,repair, or other updating occurs, corresponding information related tothe reconfiguration, repair, or other updating associated with eachactive grid element is communicated through the coordinator and updatedin the database.

Grid Functionality

The following descriptions and definitions are included herein for thepurpose of clarifying terms used in the claims and specification of thepresent invention, in addition to explanation of the relevant prior art,including the prior art figures and the figures illustrating the presentinvention.

Power Distribution Engineering: Fundamentals and Applications, James J.Burke, Marcel Dekker, Inc., NY (1994), describes basic power electricpower systems, including distribution and transmission throughout anelectric power grid, and grid elements and basic functionality of gridelements, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Also,acronyms and abbreviations and definitions for terms related to electricpower grids and systems and grid elements associated therewith, andregulations and authorities related thereto, are known in the art, andare also defined in the book Creating Competitive Power Markets: the PJMModel, Jeremiah D. Lambert, Pennwell (2001), and are incorporated hereinby reference.

When curtailment or supply is provided in a distributed manner from aplurality of sources through some of the grid elements of the presentinvention, capacity is also created on the transmission and distributionsystem that is used to carry the physical energy to the load consumingdevices, and/or the attachment point of the supply devices, and thoseconsumers at their attachment point to the grid. This is sometimesreferred to in both the industry and the description of the presentinvention as a “service point” and can represent any attachment pointalong an electric grid whereby the physical layer of wires meets thephysical attachment of either load or supply that is used in accordancewith the present invention. The creation of capacity for these “wired”networks is in itself new to the art, and is tracked with the othermessaging described in the present invention via the Coordinator andwith specific messaging that is used and identified for the purpose oftransmission and distribution capacity created along every grid elementthat is used to distribute electric power in the electric power grid.These created capacities are preferably aggregated by service point, byattachment wires, by transformer, by feeder wire, bysubstation/electrical bus, by transmission line(s), by grid area, bygeodetic points, by utility or MP service area, by LMP, by balancingauthority, by state, by interconnect, by ISO, and combinations thereof.Thus, created capacity by active grid elements according to the presentinvention, includes both the actual capacity due to supply introductionor load curtailment, and/or the location of the capacity created, whichis a function of the attachment point and with respect to the electricalbus (substation) and/or transmission feeder that is supplying it. Thiscapacity is reported to the financial settlement system through theCoordinator and/or translator; in the case of translator communication,a translator interface is provided with the legacy elements, e.g.,OASIS; alternatively, the Coordinator and/or translator tracks thecapacity and has a market price input for transmission costs for thepurposes of providing a settlement for the created capacity.

The present invention provides systems, apparatus, and methods forcommunicating IP-based messages associated with a multiplicity of gridelements that function within an electric power grid, and forcommunicating messages associated with the settlement associated withtheir active participation in the grid.

Following registration and transformation into active grid elements, thesystem provides for transmission and distribution of electric powersupplied by an electric utility and/or other market participants to amultiplicity of the active grid elements (including but not limited todevices and nodes), some of which consume power, some supply power, somestore power, and combinations. Active grid elements function within thegrid to provide for supply and/or load curtailment as supply. Each ofthe active grid elements have a Power Supply Value (PSV) associated withits energy consumption and/or reduction in consumption and/or supply(through generation and/or storage). And each grid element furtheroperates to communicate (send and/or receive) messaging that ispreferably managed through a network by a Coordinator using IP-basedmessaging for communication with the active grid elements, with theenergy management system (EMS), and with the utilities, marketparticipants, and/or grid operators. However, in some cases, messagingis provided between grid elements without passing through a Coordinator.

Any exemplary embodiments that are in accordance with the presentinvention described herein provide embodiments reside primarily incombinations of system and apparatus components, and processing steps,communications, protocols, messaging and transport all related toactively managing power load or supply on an individual subscriber basisand optionally tracking power savings incurred by both individualsubscribers and an electric utility or other market participant, all ofwhich directly involve active grid elements of the present invention.Accordingly, the systems, apparatus, and method steps components havebeen represented where appropriate by conventional symbols in thedrawings, showing only those specific details that are pertinent tounderstanding the embodiments of the present invention so as not toobscure the disclosure with details that will be readily apparent tothose of ordinary skill in the art having the benefit of the descriptionherein.

The aggregation of the longstanding, unmet needs in the relevant art isthe basis for new innovation, including solutions offered by the presentinvention, having systems and apparatus components that include thefollowing attributes:

-   -   a. The system, apparatus, methods and devices utilize        standards-based Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) Layer 1-4        communications protocols with a plurality of security encryption        methods.    -   b. The communication layer is Internet Protocol (V4 or V6 or its        derivatives thereof) based such that the messages, instructions,        commands, measurements and telemetry is transmitted via physical        layer delivered Ethernet, first generation wireless        communications methods (analog or digital), second generation        communications methods such as Code Division Multiple Access        (1XRTT), Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), third        generation protocols such as Evolution for Data Only (EVDO),        High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), Fourth Generation protocols        Long Term Evolution (LTE), IEEE 802.11 (X) WI-FI, or any        derivative standard approved by the IEEE, International        Telecommunications Union or any domestic or international        standards body or any proprietary protocols that can operate in        near real time and contain an Internet Protocol packet for the        transmittal of their command, control, telemetry, measurement,        verification, and/or settlement information, whether wired or        wireless.    -   c. The command and control for the purpose of (b) can be created        and controlled from a centralized processor, a distributed        processing apparatus, or at the device level.    -   d. The aggregation of these methods result in the creation of        real-time load curtailment that are classified broadly as        “Demand Response”, macro or distributed generation and can be        native load (i.e., real-time supply) as required by the electric        power grid where the invention is utilized, and also be utilized        to create Operating Reserves as defined by NERC, FERC, and/or        any other governing body that regulates the operation of an        electric power grid and/or utilities or other market participant        providing power to an electric power grid.

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating at least one coordinator anda multiplicity of grid elements within a system and methods of thepresent invention. Grid elements illustrated for example, and notlimitation of the present invention, include smart appliances, smartmeters, building control systems, sensors, storage devices, powergenerators (including alternative energy sources like wind, solar,water, etc.), active load clients (ALCs), active load directors (ALDs),active supply clients (ASCs), active supply directors (ASDs),controllers, coordinators, distribution elements, transmission elementsnecessary for grid operations and stability, and combinations thereof.Following registration with the system, and transformation to activegrid elements for managed participation within the electrical power gridand corresponding systems and methods of the present invention, theactive grid elements communicate with and through at least onecoordinator and to the energy management system (EMS) or other gridoperations subsystems, such as RTO/ISO operations systems, transmissionoperation systems, distribution operation systems, and functionaccording to their intended purpose. By way of example and notlimitation, a smart meter provides meter functions to track andcommunicate load consumed by one or more active grid elements and /ordevices; a thermostat or building control system provides for HVACand/or environmental conditions indication and control, includingtemperature management, humidity, lighting, security, etc.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating grid elements, attachmentpoints, and telemetry through a network associated with the systems ofthe present invention. FIG. 2 illustrates at least one controlling orparticipating entity, selected from the group consisting of a gridoperator, utility, market participant, retail electric provider and/ordistributor, and combinations thereof, an EMS, in electrical powerconnection and communication with a multiplicity of active gridelements, all within at least one balancing authority (BA), and allconnected through an electrical power grid and communicationsnetwork(s). The active grid elements provide telemetry and messagingrelating to a multiplicity of grid element attributes and/or gridelement factors, including but not limited to attachment pointinformation, geodetic information, status, capacity, grid elementidentifier(s), grid element profile(s), power consumption and flows(instantaneous and historical), and combinations thereof. Preferablycommunication among active grid elements and the controlling orparticipating authority is provided over a network and routed through atleast one coordinator via Ethernet and/or IP connectivity. A counter isalso included for tracking packets, and packet switching and routing isprovided within the systems and methods of the present invention,wherein network communication for energy routing and energy informationrouting is provided with a messaging structure having layering, similarto an Open Systems Interconnection (OSI) model including layers forapplication, presentation, session, transport, network, data link, andphysical communication functions, which defines the communications tasksof the system, and which provides a vertical set of layers forming acommunication infrastructure for interconnection over public and privatenetworks. Information describing general OSI model communicationstructures and functionality is known to one of ordinary skill in theart and described in Data and Computer Communications by WilliamStallings, MacMillan N.Y. (1985), which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

The structure of OSI modeling for the systems and methods of the presentinvention are considered to provide communications networks for use incoordination with the physical structure and network of the electricpower grid and the active grid elements registered therewith, andfurther include TCP/IP. Ideally, the OSI model for communication networkwould be integrated with the physical network for electric powerdistribution and transmission, including active grid elements andcontrols, database, server, coordination with supply and load, etc. Thepresent invention provides for the application of an energy network(i.e., the electric power grid) and a communications network, includingthe OSI-based model, and coordination to integrate the messaging withthe power movement through the system.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary network nodeconfiguration for grid elements registration and communication. In oneembodiment of the present invention, the network for communicationinvolving active grid elements and the coordinator and/or other gridelements includes a packet-switched network that is used to acceptpackets from a source node and deliver them to a destination node, suchas in the case wherein a grid element makes initial registration withthe system by sending an initial communication to a coordinator, and thecoordinator responds and the systems and methods of the presentinvention then provide for automatic and/or autonomous transformationinto active grid elements, wherein at the moment of registration theactive grid elements are functional within the electric power grid toperform their designated or predetermined operations and roles orfunctions. FIG. 3 illustrates an example network configurationillustrating a multiplicity of paths or routes through a network forcommunication and energy routing within the electric power grid. Theconnections between active grid elements and coordinator(s) and otheractive grid elements are illustrated. In preferred embodiments of thepresent invention, at least one balancing authority (BA) includes atleast one coordinator in network-based communication with a multiplicityof active grid elements, and further connected in electrical and datacommunication connections with at least one source of power and at leastone EMS. By way of example, a new grid element prior to registrationwith the system of the present invention initiates a signal or messagevia the network following its initial energizing with power from anysource (battery or externally-supplied power), wherein initial messageincludes at least one of the following: unique grid element identifier,equipment identifier, class of service information, capability,capacity, function information, geodetic information (GPS, physicaladdress, etc.), attachment point, IP address information, communicationformat and content information, security, authentication information,and combinations thereof. Thus, after initial energizing of the at leastone grid element, the grid element searches for at least one networkavailable for communication with the electric power grid, preferablywith the coordinator, and determines how to engage with the coordinatoror at least to establish initial network communication with thecoordinator, identification of network protocol, etc. A networkidentifier is included in the transformation and network interface foreach of the at least one grid elements. Preferably, messaging betweenthe at least one grid element and the at least one coordinator isprovided by IP-based messaging over the network. Following the initialresponse and registration of the at least one grid element, there is atransformation into at least one active grid element, which providesthat each of the at least one active grid elements is operable tofunction automatically and/or autonomously for its predeterminedfunction within the electric power grid, including telemetry atpredetermined intervals, continuously, or when change in state occursfor each of the at least one active grid elements.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the registration ofgrid elements is provided using one or more of the following forproviding unique identification for each grid element: messaging and/orsignaling between active, inactive, IP address, V4, V6, proprietary,mesh or direct, TDM or pots, analog or digital telemetry, RFIDs, andcombinations thereof. A registration for grid elements further includesregistration into a home network or a visitor network, and/or movementof any of the active grid elements (following transformation afterinitial registration) to different locations or geographies and/or todifferent or new attachment points provides for at least one update ofstatus for the movement or change for that active grid element.Attachment points are preferably provided in a location register that isdefined by proximity to an electric bus or substation within theelectric power grid, or any other predetermined geodetic location withinthe physical structure of the electric power grid.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram illustrating a distribution automationcommunications network as part of systems and methods of the presentinvention, including a main communications ring having a multiplicity ofactive grid elements associated therewith, and further including atleast one master control center and corresponding database, SCADAmaster, AMR master, switches and electrical network lines andconnections (copper wire) and communications network lines andconnections (fiber) and at least one distributed ring having amultiplicity of active grid elements associated therewith. In thisexemplary network sector, the active grid elements and electrical powernetwork and communications network are included within one balancingauthority (BA). Several active grid elements function as meters and/orsmart meters and provide for automated meter telemetry through thenetwork from the grid elements to at least one coordinator. In a typicalnetwork architecture, at least one core network for a balancingauthority is provided, and wherein a multiplicity of grid elements areconstructed and configured in electric power transmission and/ordistribution connection and network-based communication connection forsending and receiving messages between each of the grid elements and atleast one Coordinator.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing energy systems operations andcommunications network-based connections as part of systems and methodsof the present invention, including compatibility and/or compliance withUS National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) standardsapplicable to transmission and/or distribution lines for the electricpower grid in communications network connectivity with a multiplicity ofgrid elements, market participant(s), utility or electric powergenerator supplier and/or third party energy provider (for GSS, asdescribed hereinbelow), an energy market clearinghouse (ECM), anaggregator for providing at least one power trading block (PTB) forsettlement for energy supply and/or curtailment as supply providing byat least one of a multiplicity of grid elements, including powerconsuming devices, ALCs, ALDs, ASCs, ASDs, and at least one coordinator.

FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a basic AGC/energy managementsystem (EMS) representation. By way of introduction to the presentinvention, FIGS. 1 and 8 illustrate a schematic diagram of an IP-basedactive power management (load and supply) system having active gridelements in accordance with an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention. This diagram shows analogies for how active grid elementshaving predetermined functionality as load-consuming devices areaddressable with IP-based messaging within the communications network byan active load director (ALD) and/or Coordinator, by comparison to basiccommunication networks such as the Internet. Similarly, Active SupplyDirector (ASD) and Active Supply Client or Element (ASC) provide for thecorresponding management of electric power available or actuallysupplied to the electric power grid, whether by Generation Source Supply(GSS) elements or by Storage Source Supply (SSS), including battery orfuel cell, or compressed air, stored water, or any subsystem thatincludes a potential for discharging electricity as stored energy to theelectric power grid, available for discharge or actually discharged intothe grid. In any case, whether electric power supply for the grid isprovided by generation or load curtailment, the supply is evaluated andrated by Power Supply Value (PSV) and Power Trade Block (PTB), whichindicates the amount of power, including aggregated amounts acceptablefor settlement by the grid, which are communicated by the active gridelements through the Coordinator and then to an energy managementclearinghouse for settlement based upon PSV, PTB, and market factorsassociated with and communicated by the active grid elements and timing,duration, quality, type of event (for supply and/or demand response)within the electric power system energy management to the coordinator.Preferably, all information required for settlement is communicatedwithin the systems and methods and by apparatus embodiments of thepresent invention, automatically and/or autonomously and preferably withIP-based messaging via the network; this information is routed by atleast one coordinator and stored in memory in a database that isaccessible by the energy management clearinghouse.

Each active grid element associated with supplying power and/orproviding load curtailment within the electric power grid, includes withits attributes at least one Power Supply Value (PSV) associated with itsactivity and function within the grid. Power Supply Value (PSV) isestimated, modeled, measured, and/or determined or calculated at themeter or submeter, building control system, supply source, or at anydevice or controller that measures electric power within the standard assupplied by the regulatory body(ies) that govern the regulation of thegrid. PSV depends on operating tolerances, operating standard foraccuracy of the measurement. Notably, the PSV provides a uniform,systematic unit for addressing the power curtailment or power supplythat is responsive to an energy management system (EMS) or equivalentfor providing grid stability, reliability, frequency as determined bygoverning authority, grid operator, market participant, utility, and/orregulations applicable to the electric power grid operations. The PSVenables transformation of curtailment or reduction in power, in additionto the introduction of power supply to the grid, at the device level byany system, apparatus, and/or device that sends or receives an IPmessage to be related to or equated to supply as presented to thegoverning entity that accepts these values and award supply equivalence.PSV is provided in units of electrical power units, flow, monetaryequivalent, and combinations thereof. The PSV and/or PTB addresses thelongstanding unmet need within the electric power management systems fora consistent or standard unit(s) that provide for blocks or bundles ofenergy are introduced, aggregated, and settled; the prior art nowhereteaches or discloses these functional units. Thus, the present inventionincludes a PSV that provides a unit for measuring and settling for eachactive grid element the power available for/introduced to the electricpower grid and/or the curtailment power available (consistent with FERCorders 745, 750, 755 all published in 2011, which are incorporatedherein by reference in their entirety) as a requirement for providingsupply to the power grid, and, particularly wherein the supply to thepower grid is provided for grid stability, voltage stability,reliability, and combinations thereof. Notably, “high performancereserves” from FERC order 755 covers for “deadband”, i.e., the timebetween receipt of reg-up/reg-down, recognition of that order, andresponse to impact on the grid, which is about 5 minutes for highperformance reserves, which are faster for supply than the traditionalutilities.

PSV is preferably settled as traditional power delivery or curtailmentsystems at the nearest interconnection point, Location Marginal Price(LMP), node, transmission interconnection, balancing authority, utilityservice area, retail electric provider service area, ISO, state, andcombinations thereof, i.e., settlement is available at the point ofdelivery and/or acceptance (or attachment point), and is facilitated byALC, ASC, Coordinator, metering device, smart meter, sub-meter, andcombinations thereof, or any revenue grade device accepted by thegoverning authority to determine PSV and/or settlement for each activegrid element. Also preferably, PSV includes consideration for linelosses proximal to those devices and/or grid elements, if not throughreal-time metrics then through modeling and/or estimation. Furthermore,regarding PSV and other metrics, where no real-time metrics forverification and settlement exist, modeling is used. Preferably,analytics is used in connection with the present invention for modeling,estimation, optimization, and combinations, such as those analyticstaught by U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,180,622, 8,170,856, 8,165,723, 8,155,943,8,155,908, 8,131,401, 8,126,685, 8,036,872, 7,826,990, 7,844,439,7,840,395, 7,729,808, 7,840,396, 7,844,440, 7,693,608, and US PatentPublication Nos. 2007/0239373, 2008/0262820, 2008/0263469, 2009/0076749,2009/0083019, 2009/0105998, 2009/0113049, 2010/0023309, 2010/0049494,2010/0168931, 2010/0268396, 2011/0082596, 2011/0082597, all of which areincorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

The present invention methods, systems, devices, and apparatus providetransformation of grid elements to active grid elements following theirautomatic registration with IP-based messaging communicated via thenetwork and preferably through a coordinator. Following registration,the active grid elements operate according to their respective intendedfunctions, and also preferably continue to have automatic communicationsand messaging via the network through at least one coordinator. Becauseof the automatic and preferably autonomous registration and ongoingmessaging, active grid elements operate collectively for managing flowof power for an electric grid, micro grid, or other system, orcombinations thereof, more particularly the supply of electric power forthe grid, whether by generation, storage for discharge, electricvehicles (EV), which function as transportable storage and loadconsuming devices, either standalone or in aggregate, (and must betracked to ensure proper settlement and grid stability management),and/or load curtailment, and function to ensure grid stability and tosupply electric power from any source of power generation, storage,and/or curtailment that equates to supply.

According to the present invention, grid stabilizing metrics includingvoltage, current, frequency, power factor, reactive and inductive power,capacitance, phase control, and/or any other grid metric that isrequired by a grid operator, market participant, utility, and the like,to operate and maintain electric power grid stability as determined bythe grid operator or the governing entity therefor. Preferably, thesemetrics are monitored and/or measured at a multiplicity of points, andmore preferably using active grid elements and their attributes andstatus information throughout the electric power grid, including but notlimited to locations within or at the distribution system, transmissionsystem, electrical bus (substation), generation source, supply controldevices, load control devices, load consuming devices (particularlythose involved in curtailment activities), at least one Coordinator, andcombinations thereof. The metrics apply to any size and type of activegrid element, regardless whether the generation source is macro innature, e.g., large scale generation such as large coal, nuclear, gas orother traditional or non-traditional sources of generation, micro-gridgeneration, emergency back-up power generation, alternative energygeneration, e.g., wind, solar, etc., or a power storage device or fuelcell that is potentially available for discharge.

Also, at least one of the active grid elements includes client devicesor the associated power consuming or generation control devices have theability to independently execute commands from an Active Load Director(ALD), Active Load Client (ALC), a 3^(rd) party Energy Management System(EMS), Active Supply Director (ASD), Coordinator, Generation SourceSupply (GSS), Storage Source Supply (SSS), transmission/distributioncapacity, messaging, settlements, security, and combinations thereof,that provide for both load consuming and generation to engage with theelectric power grid at attachment points with assured grid stability asindicated by the grid stability metrics for compliance with requirementsof the grid operator, utility, market participant, grid governingauthority, and/or any other regulations applicable to the electric powergrid. All of these active grid elements preferably receive theircommands and send communications and/or messaging via an IP message viaa Coordinator or Layer 3 router capable of handling all current andfuture iterations of IP messaging contemplated during the life of thisinvention. FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a basic AGC/energymanagement system (EMS) representation as part of the system of thepresent invention. As shown in FIG. 6, a detailed EMS with automaticgeneration control and distributed energy resource (DER) (FIG. 3 andFIG. 4), and load resources (L and CLR in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4) is providedaccording to the present invention.

Also preferably, all messaging to and from active grid elements iscontrolled, managed, and transmitted through the Coordinator, whichcommunicates between the many active grid elements, including andfollowing their initial registration, and the EMS and/or grid operator,utility, governing authority, and combinations thereof. More preferably,all commands and communications are routed through and by theCoordinator, which is constructed and configured for direct and/orwireless communication with the multiplicity of grid elements, andfurther includes components of processor, memory, persistence layer,memory cache, messaging engine, security interface, status and/orchange-in-status indicator, geodetic locator, telemetry, connectionswith the network, software operable for managing and changing theconnections, database with software operable for storing and analyzingdata associated with transmission and distribution attachments, servicepoints, active grid elements, registration, authentication, PSV, PTB,identification, capacity and capability of load and supply, softwareversion control for active grid elements, software improvement control,software for settlement, and combinations thereof. Other switchelements, which are included as active grid elements, that areapplicable to the Coordinator, and are included with the presentinvention include customer identification and authentication, customersecurity, attachment information and capacities, reservations forutilizing the transmission and distribution system, signaling to theelectric grid or its operator the plurality of all the above. TheCoordinator functions as an “energy router” whereby the messagingrequired to route supply, demand and transmission/distribution capacityto and from the grid is differentiated from pure communications routingand relates to grid stability and improved grid performance. Thus, theCoordinator is not merely functional as a traditional telecommunicationsrouter, but further includes the aforementioned messaging, management,and control functionality required for supply or curtailment to theelectric power grid. The Coordinator is consistent with compliance ascontemplated in the aforementioned FERC orders where frequencydeviations, security, and grid performance are all now needed in an eraof aging grid infrastructure and a changing and dynamic load environmentwhere the legacy macro grid and the interim “Smart Grid” elements arenot capable of responding to the new needs that FERC and NERC haveidentified and charged the market participants to solve, which have notyet been solved by any prior art, but which are addressed by the presentinvention. The energy routing function of the coordinator serves as atraffic manager, and a messaging engine, to track all the active gridelements, secure reservations and settlement information on the electricpower grid and the interface for one-to-many (i.e., one port for EMS tothe many active grid elements under the control of an EMS and supplyinggrid stability from the many to the one) allowing for microelements anddistributed generation and distributed load curtailment to perform withthe macro grid without taxing and destroying the legacy infrastructurebeyond its capabilities and limitations; the Coordinator is furtheroperable for tracking and maintaining status of all devices within itsdefined boundaries, or as described hereinabove with respect to PSV, ordetermined by the governing authority for the grid, which includes abalancing area, an ISO, a utility, a market participant, andcombinations thereof. FIG. 1 (in addition to other figures) provides aschematic diagram illustrating the Coordinator as part of the system andmethods of the present invention. Additionally, since the Coordinatoroperates as “energy router” it is operable to register all new gridelements, it functions to “reserve” a message to introduce it to thenetwork; once registered through the Coordinator and introduced into theelectric power grid and communications network, including storage of itsactive grid element attributes in a database, each active grid elementis also updated via messaging by, to and through the Coordinator.

The Coordinator operates further for communication of all telemetry,settlement, tracking, and combinations thereof for each active gridelement. All active grid elements associated with the grid for supplyand/or load curtailment are registered with the Coordinator and arerouted within one or more ports within the EMS, for example asillustrated in the Figures; thus, the Coordinator and its application orfunctionality within the electric power grid, sending the signals,telemetry and messaging for primary frequency control, grid stability,control events, dispatch schedules for supply sources (bothpre-scheduled and dynamic/real time in response to electric power gridconditions), and combinations thereof through messaging and coordinationwith the active grid elements. The Coordinator also preferably includesfunctionality for clearing and reporting to and with transmissionreservations subsystems associated with the active grid elements. By wayof example, prior art transmission reservations subsystems can berepresented by companies such as OATI's OASIS transmission reservationsystem (illustrated at the Internet website www.oatioasis.com), which isoverseen and regulated by FERC, but whose clearing and reporting isdeficient in enabling reservations below macro transmission levels, andwhose reservation systems include “firm” capacity and “non-firm”capacity that has very little value since its reliability is notassured. The present invention solves many of these problems and creates“actual measurable and verifiable transport capacity” by enhancing powerdistribution, settlement, and combinations thereof, by grid element, byservice point, by device and by consumer. Additionally, telemetry forsettlement for curtailment, supply from storage, and combinationsthereof, area managed through the Coordinator. The Coordinator isfurther constructed, configured, and operable in IP-based or proprietarymessaging communication, for providing a routing and controlarchitecture and methods analogous to the OSI model used intelecommunications networks worldwide, applied for all active gridelements management and for supply, whether GSS or SSS, and loadcurtailment management for any of the multiplicity of active gridelements, and grid stability. The messages contemplated by this type ofenergy routing and capacity creation in itself creates the potential fora new standard for achieving FERC and NERC goals while seamlesslyintegrating into legacy subsystems of current art of macro electricutility architecture.

The method, system and apparatus embodiments of the present inventionfurther provide that the active grid elements are operable to sendchange in state messages in lieu of a constant stream of IP messages viaa telemetry path. The change-in-state messages provide the ability toonly communicate the “deltas” (or change in state) and have the ALD,ASD, and/or server transmit, send, or stream the telemetry from the last“known value” until that last known value has changed, by communicatinga “delta” message, rather than constantly streaming values, and use“machine to machine” communications, text telemetry, or any low bit ratetelemetry method that meets the requirements as established by thegoverning entity, but is capable of complying while simultaneouslyutilizing the transmission bandwidth and latency that is available at aservice point or active grid element location. These change-in-statemessages associated with the active grid elements preferably include thenecessary information to report the Power Supply Value (PSV), PTB,and/or any other grid stability messages on an event basis rather thanmerely a telemetry basis and to send those messages through a server,and are transmitted to an energy management system (EMS) via a format asdetermined by the grid operator, microgrid operator, and/or other gridcontrol entity while simultaneously achieving primary frequency controland grid stability at the service point and/or active grid elements andstoring at the ALC, ASD, ALD, ASD or combinations thereof the necessaryinformation in granular format sufficient to transmit for settlement ormeasurement & verification processes later either when bettertransmission speeds are available or retrievable by a manualintervention such as a smart phone, tablet or drive by apparatus wherethe memory is downloaded to a mobile client.

The systems, methods, and apparatus embodiments of the present inventionfurther provide for commands issued either directly by the EMS,Coordinator, ASD, ASC, ALD, ALC, load consuming device, “Smart ElectricMeter” and its subcomponents (processor/memory), or by programming anyactive grid element, for example, a client device such as a programmablethermostat or building control system, wherein the commands anticipatethe activation of a load curtailment event for any load consuming device(such as an HVAC system, a system profile that has been programmed forsupply side indices such as market price of power or Operating Reservesor load side indices that take a consumer's preferences into account, orany other sensor) or the activation of a supply or demand event for anysupply source associated with the electric power grid.

Just prior to the activation of the load consuming device a precisemeasurement of total load as measured by the meter or submeter, ALC, orload consuming device is made as to ascertain its contribution to thetotal amount of electricity prior to the activation of the loadconsuming device. Similarly, for ASD, ASC, or any supply source, GSS orSSS, electric supply availability and electric supply existing at theattachment point(s) is determined. Measurements by the sameaforementioned measuring elements are made after the registration of thegrid elements and their transformation into active grid elements,whether a load consuming or supply device or other function. Eitherthrough a baseline measurement or with precise timing of measuring the“before” and “after” load or supply contribution by the active gridelement is recorded in the ALC or ASC, device, or passed or routed tothe Coordinator or the EMS via an IP message utilizing one of theaforementioned communications methods to the ALD, ASD, and/orCoordinator, or is stored in the ALD, ASD, and/or Coordinator until a“change-in-state” message for the grid element(s) is communicateddirectly to the ALD, ASD, and/or Coordinator, so that it might be usedin the calculation of load removed, “cut”, reduced, or “added” , orsupply available or supply provided, in response to an ALD, ASD, and/orCoordinator, a pre-programmed load curtailment or supply profile, or inresponse to commands from an Energy Management System (EMS), orcorrespondingly, the ALC, ASC, Coordinator, a pre-programmed supplyprofile, or combinations thereof, or in response to commands from an EMS(preferably via the Coordinator) for active supply management from anysupply source, whether generation, storage, or combinations thereof.

The following examples illustrating embodiments for the systems,methods, and apparatus of the present invention for registration andmanagement of active grid elements follow the FERC regulations 745, 750,and 755 introduced in 2011 for Load Curtailment, Supply from Storage,and Supply from Generation.

Relating to the load curtailment for providing a supply equivalent, FIG.8 provides a schematic diagram illustrating an exemplary grid element asactive load client (ALC) smart meter use case example according to thepresent invention, wherein the ALC is shown as a component of the systemof FIG. 9. Additionally, or alternatively, by way of example and notlimitation, smart breakers and command relay devices, are active gridelements following their registration according to the presentinvention, and are considered and operated as submeters for measurementand verification purposes. In other method steps for the presentinvention, FIG. 10 illustrates a flow diagram of methods according tothe present invention for tracking state of active grid elements as ALCshaving an IP address within an electric power grid system. FIG. 11 is aschematic diagram providing an overview of an IP-based active energymanagement system (EMS) in accordance with the present invention,including active grid elements as ALC, ALD, IP-based communication, loadcontrol devices and power consuming devices, which are described in moredetail in the following specification. As illustrated, the EMS/GridOperator/Market Participant/Retail Electric Provider/Independent PowerProducer/Automatic Generation Control component(s) of the system of thepresent invention are in networked communication with active gridelements (in this example, ALD(s)) via IP-based communication methods,for communicating with these active grid elements about load controlevents to control devices and/or ALCs for managing load consumed bypower consuming devices. A variety of system elements are illustratedfor exemplary purposes, to show the interaction between the active gridelements.

In another aspect of factors addressed by the present invention,consider an exemplary system arrangement for conservation voltagereduction (CVR). Transmission lines, which transfer electric power fromthe power generation source, such as by way of example and notlimitation an utility, to an electrical bus or substation, where it istransformed to provide distribution voltages (e.g., about 6.9 kV in thisexample and single phase) to additional transformers, indicated as F1,F2, F3, FN, where voltage measurement along the feeder via ALC(s). Undercurrent standards, voltages must be kept at between about +/−3% andabout +/−5%, but in any case maintained as required by standards, forfinal distribution at the end of the line to prevent damage to powerconsuming devices. The active grid elements functioning as ALCspreferably transmit voltage information and line loss information to theother active grid elements functioning as ALD(s). The active gridelements therefore establish a phase/voltage “locked” loop toautomatically control the voltages so that the CVR creates megawatts ofoperating reserves according to the methods and systems of the presentinvention.

The present invention further provides that the active grid elements areoperable to send change in state messages in lieu of a constant streamof IP messages via a telemetry path. The change-in-state messagesprovide the ability to only communicate the “deltas” (or change instate) and have the ALD, ASD, and/or server transmit, send, or streamthe telemetry from the last “known value” until that last known valuehas changed, by communicating a “delta” message, rather than constantlystreaming values, and use “machine to machine” communications, texttelemetry, or any low bit rate telemetry method that meets therequirements as established by the governing entity, but is capable ofcomplying while simultaneously utilizing the transmission bandwidth andlatency that is available at a service point or active grid elementlocation. These change-in-state messages associated with the active gridelements preferably include the necessary information to report thePower Supply Value (PSV), PTB, and/or any other grid stability messageson an event basis rather than merely a telemetry basis and to send thosemessages through a server, and are transmitted to an energy managementsystem (EMS) via a format as determined by the grid operator, microgridoperator, and/or other grid control entity while simultaneouslyachieving primary frequency control and grid stability at the servicepoint and/or active grid elements and storing at the ALC, ASD, ALD, ASDor combinations thereof the necessary information in granular formatsufficient to transmit for settlement or measurement and verificationprocesses later either when better transmission speeds are available orretrievable by a manual intervention such as a smart phone, tablet ordrive by apparatus where the memory is downloaded to a mobile client.

The systems, methods, and apparatus embodiments of the present inventionfurther provide for IP messages to include commands issued eitherdirectly by the EMS, Coordinator, ASD, ASC, ALD, ALC, load consumingdevice, “Smart Electric Meter” and its subcomponents (processor/memory),or by programming any active grid element, for example, a client devicesuch as a programmable thermostat or building control system, whereinthe commands anticipate the activation of a load curtailment event forany load consuming device (such as an HVAC system, a system profile thathas been programmed for supply side indices such as market price ofpower or Operating Reserves or load side indices that take a consumer'spreferences into account, or any other sensor) or the activation of asupply or demand event for any supply source associated with theelectric power grid.

The balancing areas (BAs) provide for opportunities for the electricpower grid and/or a multiplicity of grids that are constructed andconfigured for networked communication and power distributiontherebetween. In one embodiment of the present invention, communicationwith active grid elements passes through or is routed by at least oneCoordinator for providing the one-to-many coordination of communication,messaging, etc. between the many active grid elements and the EMS,inside a given BA or between BAs, which involve at least one Coordinatorfor each BA, thereby providing for managed, coordinatedcross-communication of status, change-in-status, grid stability metrics,control messages, and combinations thereof.

The present invention systems and methods provide for power trade blocksor power trading blocks (PTBs) for facilitating the collaboration acrossbalancing areas and regions for supply and load curtailment management,for increasing power available, operating reserves, and/or gridstability. In preferred embodiments of the present invention, at leastone PTB is introduced and/or provided to the electric power grid,including method steps of: valuing, trading, selling, bartering,sharing, exchanging, crediting, and combinations thereof. Thus thepresent invention provides for electric trading markets across BAs ormicrogrids or individual active grid elements, including load consumingcustomers or supply sources, whether generation, storage, distributionor transmission.

Telemetry, measurement, verification, PSV, PTB, and other factorsdescribed herein, in compliance with FERC 745, 750, and 755, providewith the present invention the capacity for active grid elementsfunctioning for providing curtailment as operating reserves to becompensated for megawatts at the clearing price, and for supply to beprovided or indicated as available to be provided, and compensated orsettled for megawatts at the clearing price. Clearing prices are eitherdetermined by many attributes including their location of where thepower is delivered or accepted by a generator of power or a purchaser ofpower. The term “Locational Marginal Pricing (LMP)” refers to a nodewhere power is either delivered from a generator or accepted by apurchaser. A node corresponds to a physical bus or collection of buseswithin the network or any other geodetically defined boundary asspecified by the governing entity. A load or supply zone is defined asan aggregation of nodes. The zonal price is the load-weighted average ofthe prices of all nodes in the zone. A hub is defined as therepresentative selection of nodes to facilitate long-term commercialenergy trading. The hub price is a simple average of LMPs at all hublocations. An external or proxy node is defined as the location thatserves as a proxy for trading between ISO-Balancing area and itsneighbors. According to the present invention, the at least one gridelement(s) includes transmission or distribution control node,monitoring node, telemetry node, routing node, electrical routing node,fault protection node, generation node, load control node, devices(active and passive), sensors, etc., wherein any node includes aninterface and/or an attachment.

The following related US Patents and Patent applications, U.S.application Ser. No. 13/172,389, filed Jun. 29, 2011, which is acontinuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 12/715,195, filed Mar. 1,2010, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,032,233, which is a divisional of U.S.application Ser. No. 11/895,909 filed Aug. 28, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No.7,715,951, are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Thesedocuments include descriptions of some active load management withinpower grids, and provide additional background and context for thepresent invention systems and methods.

The present invention systems and methods provide herein below for powertrade blocks or power trading blocks (PTBs) for facilitating thecollaboration across balancing areas and regions for supply and loadcurtailment management, for increasing power available, operatingreserves, and/or grid stability. In preferred embodiments of the presentinvention, at least one PTB is introduced and/or provided to theelectric power grid, including method steps of: valuing, trading,selling, bartering, sharing, exchanging, crediting, and combinationsthereof. Thus the present invention provides for electric trading marketacross BAs or microgrids or individual active grid elements, includingload consuming customers or supply sources, whether generation, storage,or distribution or transmission.

Telemetry, measurement, verification, PSV, PTB, and other factorsdescribed herein, in compliance with FERC 745, 750, and 755, providewith the present invention the capacity for active grid elementsfunctioning for providing curtailment as operating reserves to becompensated for megawatts at the clearing price, and for supply to beprovided or indicated as available to be provided, and compensated orsettled for megawatts at the clearing price. Clearing prices are eitherdetermined by many attributes including their location of where thepower is delivered or accepted by a generator of power or a purchaser ofpower. The term “Locational Marginal Pricing (LMP)” refers to a nodewhere power is either delivered from a generator or accepted by apurchaser. A node corresponds to a physical bus or collection of buseswithin the network or any other geodetically defined boundary asspecified by the governing entity. A load or supply zone is defined asan aggregation of nodes. The zonal price is the load-weighted average ofthe prices of all nodes in the zone. A hub is defined as therepresentative selection of nodes to facilitate long-term commercialenergy trading. The hub price is a simple average of LMPs at all hublocations. An external or proxy node is defined as the location thatserves as a proxy for trading between ISO-Balancing area and itsneighbors. According to the present invention, the at least one gridelement(s) includes transmission or distribution control node,monitoring node, telemetry node, routing node, electrical routing node,fault protection node, generation node, load control node, devices(active & passive), sensors, etc., wherein any node includes aninterface and/or an attachment.

For vertically integrated utilities that do not have open markets asISOs, their delivery or acceptance of power can occur at theirboundaries of their “Balancing Area”, which is defined as the geographywhere their transmission and distribution system extends and is subjectto grid stability maintained by that utility. Balancing Authorityboundaries can also be delivery points or (LMP) pricing points. Itshould be noted that vertically integrated utilities are subject to thesame FERC and NERC rules as decoupled utilities in ISOs, except invertically integrated utilities, local public utility commissions havemore authority to enforce and enhance rules since the rate base is beingcharged for improvements to the grid within the balancing area (BA) thatthe utility serves. Three FERC orders (745, 750, 755; all from 2011)apply to electric power grid load management and distributed supply,including active grid elements and their registration and functionalitywithin the system according to methods and apparatus embodiments forpresent invention. The trend in the world market is to inject marketforces to utilities such that they must follow new FERC rules thatpermit the use of demand response technologies/load curtailmenttechnologies to promote the need for fewer large scale, primarily fossilfuel power plants.

Power is generally traded in terms of “Capacity” the reserved peakamount of power that a generator agrees to reserve for the utility,market participant, or REP; and “Energy” is defined as the amount ofpower consumed by the utility, market participant, REP or any entitythat is authorized to buy, sell or distribute power for the electricpower grid, consumers, particularly commercial accounts, also purchasepower in this manner. Energy is settled on the wholesale market in“Megawatt Hours”, which is defined as one (1) million watts ofelectricity consumed at a metering point, or interchange of power such aLMP, transmission tie point between two utilities, a commercial customerlarge enough to consume such an amount, a utility (generating ordistributing) or a market participant including a REP that generallypurchases the power from a generating utility and utilizes thedistribution network to supply its power purchased at the wholesalelevel and distributes its power to end consumers/customers generally insmaller increments of measurement “kilowatt hours (kWH).” Theseincrements are important due to the introduction of programs involvingutilizing curtailment technologies enabled by FERC Order 745, 750, 755whereby utilities, market participants, REPs and CSPs aggregate theircurtailment/DR and/or supply in increments of “kW-representing acapacity figure” and “kWH” which represents avoided energy. Peak“capacity” charges are settled based upon intervals whereby theinstantaneous peak (kW/MW) determines the “capacity” charge.

In particular, by way of more detailed explanation, in 2011, FERC issueda series of orders (745, 750, 755) that have had a pronounced impact onthe injection of new technologies, particularly distributed loadresource, curtailment, demand response technologies, and distributedsupply sources, to the market to be implemented across all of the US andwith direct applicability to World markets. FERC Order 745, issued Mar.15, 2011 and adopted April 2011, and which is incorporated herein byreference in its entirety, provides that utilities, market participants,CSPs, REPs or any other entity that can aggregate a minimum tradingblock of power that can be accepted into the market, BA, or utilityservice area or regional trading area (RTO) must be compensated for suchcurtailment/load resource and demand response technology at the clearingprice at the nearest LMP as though it was generation; this provides thatactive grid elements associated with these supply and/or curtailmentactivities are individually tracked, managed, reported, and compensatedbased upon their individual contribution to the aggregated settlement.Said plainly, “Negawatts” have the same value as “Megawatts.”Controversial, particularly to those utilities that still have theantiquated practice of rate base recovery of assets to insure profits,the conditions of which these “Negawatts” are compensated as “Megawatts”place a high value on those curtailment/load resource/demand responsetechnologies that can create utility Operating Reserves for the benefitof grid stability. Operating Reserves, previously defined, come indifferent capacity and energy products or their equivalencies in thecase of curtailment/load resources/demand response and are compensatedat the nearest LMP based upon their ability to perform to the same levelof measurement, verification, responsiveness (latency) and settlement asgeneration. This high standard has the practical effect of rewardingthose advanced technologies that can perform as generation equivalencies(load resources), while still allowing capacity products (traditionaland advanced demand response) to also participate in the market andperform the valuable function of providing capacity and energy resourceswithout the need for transmission losses (avoided power avoidstransmission of kWH/MWH to the endpoint, therefore freeing uptransmission and distribution lines to carry power elsewhere where it isneeded). It should be noted that most utilities do not have accuratemeasurements of distribution losses below their electrical bus(substation levels) and as such high performance, IP-based active gridelements and corresponding service points that allow this information tobe brought forward to the utility operations promote the OperatingReserves and “Negawatts” and add to their value.

Related US Patents and Patent applications, including U.S. applicationSer. No. 13/172,389, filed Jun. 29, 2011, which is a continuation ofU.S. application Ser. No. 12/715,195, filed Mar. 1, 2010, now U.S. Pat.No. 8,032,233, which is a divisional of U.S. application Ser. No.11/895,909 filed Aug. 28, 2007, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,715,951, all ofwhich are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety; thesedocuments include descriptions of some active load management withinpower grids, and provide additional background and context for thepresent invention systems and methods.

Also, in this document, relational terms, such as “first” and “second,”“top” and “bottom,” and the like, are used solely to distinguish oneentity or element from another entity or element without necessarilyrequiring or implying any physical or logical relationship or orderbetween such entities or elements. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,”or any other variation thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusiveinclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus thatcomprises a list of elements does not include only those elements, butinclude other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process,method, article, or apparatus. The term “plurality of” as used inconnection with any object or action means two or more of such object oraction. A claim element proceeded by the article “a” or “an” does not,without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identicalelements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes theelement.

By way of definition and description supporting the claimed subjectmatter, preferably, the present invention includes communicationmethodologies for messaging via a communication layer. IP-basedcommunications over a network are most preferred. Correspondingly, andconsistent with the communication methodologies for messaging accordingto the present invention, as used throughout this specification, figuresand claims, the term ZIGBEE refers to any wireless communicationprotocol adopted by the Institute of Electronics & Electrical Engineers(IEEE) according to standard 802.15.4 or any successor standard(s), theterm WI-FI refers to any communication protocol adopted by the IEEEunder standard 802.11 or any successor standard(s), the term WIMAXrefers to any communication protocol adopted by the IEEE under standard802.16 or any successor standard(s), and the term BLUETOOTH refers toany short-range communication protocol implementing IEEE standard802.15.1 or any successor standard(s). Additionally or alternatively toWIMAX, other communications protocols are able to be used, including butnot limited to a “1G” wireless protocol such as analog wirelesstransmission, first generation standards based (IEEE, ITU or otherrecognized world communications standard), a “2G” standards basedprotocol such as “EDGE or CDMA 2000 also known as 1XRTT”, a 3G basedstandard such as “High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) or Evolution for DataOnly (EVDO), any accepted 4G standard such as “IEEE, ITU standards thatinclude WIMAX, Long Term Evolution “LTE” and its derivative standards,any Ethernet solution wireless or wired, or any proprietary wireless orpower line carrier standards that communicate to a client device or anycontrollable device that sends and receives an IP based message. Theterm “High Speed Packet Data Access (HSPA)” refers to any communicationprotocol adopted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) oranother mobile telecommunications standards body referring to theevolution of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) standardbeyond its third generation Universal Mobile Telecommunications System(UMTS) protocols. The term “Long Term Evolution (LTE)” refers to anycommunication protocol adopted by the ITU or another mobiletelecommunications standards body referring to the evolution ofGSM-based networks to voice, video and data standards anticipated to bereplacement protocols for HSPA. The term “Code Division Multiple Access(CDMA) Evolution Date-Optimized (EVDO) Revision A (CDMA EVDO Rev. A)”refers to the communication protocol adopted by the ITU under standardnumber TIA-856 Rev. A.

It will be appreciated that embodiments of the invention describedherein are comprised of one or more conventional processors and uniquestored program instructions that control the one or more processors toimplement, in conjunction with certain non-processor circuits, some,most, or all of the functions for managing power load distribution andtracking individual subscriber power consumption and savings in one ormore power load management systems as described herein. Thenon-processor circuits include, but are not limited to, radio receivers,radio transmitters, antennas, modems, signal drivers, clock circuits,power source circuits, relays, meters, smart breakers, current sensors,and user input devices. As such, these functions are interpreted assteps of a method to distribute information and control signals betweendevices in a power load management system. Alternatively, some or allfunctions could be implemented by a state machine that has no storedprogram instructions, or in one or more application specific integratedcircuits (ASICs), in which each function or some combinations offunctions are implemented as custom logic. Of course, a combination ofthe two approaches could be used. Thus, methods and means for thesefunctions have been described herein. Further, it is expected that oneof ordinary skill in the art, notwithstanding possibly significanteffort and many design choices motivated by, for example, availabletime, current technology, and economic considerations, when guided bythe concepts and principles disclosed herein, will be readily capable ofgenerating such software instructions, programs and integrated circuits(ICs), and appropriately arranging and functionally integrating suchnon-processor circuits, without undue experimentation.

Recently, the IEEE and ITU have released improved WIMAX and Long TermEvolution wireless standards that have facilitated the consideration ofnew technologies to improve the response and control of power loadcontrol devices employing smart breaker and smart disconnect switchesthat include advanced smart meters where IP multimedia gateways areembedded or attach as separate connected printed circuit boards,submetering technologies that possess sufficient “revenue grade”metrology such that the measurements provided by these devices are ableto be accepted for settlement purposes. The term “revenue grade” is anindustry term, as will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in theart, a percentage of accuracy determined by ANSI, which means that powermeasurement must be within ½% of the actual value being consumed. Thus,calibration standards are provided accordingly to OEMs of powermeasuring devices and/or chips. In embodiments of the systems andmethods of the present invention, these calibration standards are metvia components including a chipset and related software, and thetransmittal of the power measurement information via IP-basedcommunications as set forth hereinabove. Baselining techniques thatprovide a reference power usage point, sampling techniques that allowfor verification of the power “state” and power consumption data forelectricity consuming devices (inductive or resistive), reactive power,Power Factor, start-up current, duty cycles, voltage, consumptionforecasts and most importantly real-time or near real time powermeasurement sampling, etc. are required to derive a Power Supply Value(PSV) that includes an American National Standards Institute (ANSI),ISO, grid operator, governing body revenue measurement, etc., which ispreferably aggregated to reach the size of at least a single Power TradeBlock (PTB) unit for the purposes of optimally monetizing the activeload management from the customer perspective. PTBs are dependent on agrid operator, regional transmission operator, or independent systemoperator to determine the capacity size (in kW or MW) or energy data in(kWH or MWH) that can be accepted for bidding, trading, settlement bythe utility, the end consumer/customer, the market participant, the CSP,demand response aggregator or any entity authorized by the governmententity that regulates grid operators such as FERC, NERC etc. Generallydue to measurement, verification, transmission and/or distributionmodeling (which considers the impact to the grid from the curtailmentactivities at any geodetic location on the grid, but generally modeledby electrical bus or substation), the minimum acceptable PTB is 100 kWat the time of the present invention. This limitation is not expected tobe permanent, given these advancements in measurement/verification, thenear real time or real time IP/Ethernet based telemetry capabilitiespresented by a plurality of various communications methods as discussedin this embodiment and the advancements in service oriented architecturebased (SOA) software and hardware subsystems, when combined with an ALDand ALC that can perform at a sublevel such that the minimum PTB can bedetermined at the device, home, building, service point, commercial,industrial, transformer, feeder, substation, transmission line and anysub-point along the transmission and distribution feeder system of anelectrical grid as so long as minimum telemetry, measurement,verifications, validation are met and are capable of being aggregated toa minimum PTB acceptable to the grid operator, ISO, RTO, BA or any otherincrement of grid topography used now or in the future for settlingpower block increments by sub-PTB.

Embodiments of the present invention expand upon and enhance priortechnologies by, among other things, employing WIMAX, High Speed PacketAccess (HSPA), Evolution for Data Only (EVDO), both considered 3^(rd)generation wireless standards, Long Term Evolution (LTE), considered atthe time of the invention as a “4G” standard and its derivativestandards that are most assuredly to be introduced during the life ofthis invention, IEEE 802.11 (X) also known as WI-FI and its derivativestandards inclusive of “Multiple Input Multiple Output” (MIMO), as setforth in the communication methodologies hereinabove, a plurality ofproprietary mesh and point to point communications solutions or anyInternet Protocol (IP)-based load control in a system with the abilityto monitor and measure, in real time or in sufficient time increments tosatisfy the telemetry performance standards as established by theGovernment or governing bodies (ex: National Electric ReliabilityCorporation (NERC), the Federal Energy Reliability Commission (FERC) theamount of power deferred, conserved or removed (or carbon, SO₂, or NO₂eliminated), such as by way of example the Kyoto or Copenhagen Protocolsthat set up carbon credits. These improvements allow new options forelectric utilities or any market participant to defer or invest in newpower generation that is friendlier to the environment.

IP-based power management is advantageous over existing systems for manyreasons. This is particularly true for communications and control thatemploy Internet Protocol Version 6 (V6) whereby each of the multiplicityof active grid elements, including but not limited to load consumingdevice (ALC), meter, load control device, programmable thermostat (PCT),building control system or any device utilized for the measurement andcontrol of power, and any supply-related element or device and relatedsensors and controllers, and their corresponding derivation of PSVand/or PTB for the purpose of power management, whether curtailment orsupply, can have its own static IP address, virtual private network withenhanced security, to provide for operating reserves acceptable to thegrid regulator, operator, or equivalent. Revenue grade metrology andIP-communication of a unique identifier, such as by way of example andnot limitation, a static IP address or dynamically assigned IP addressthrough IP V4 to provide for a unique identifier at that time, for eachof the grid elements or device(s), control device(s), the Coordinator,and combinations thereof are critical for the real-time aggregation ofPSVs to form at least one PTB corresponding to the load curtailmentevent. Thus, every piece of hardware having an IMEI (internationalmanufacturer equipment identifier) and electronic serial numbers or MACaddress are combinable with IP V6 so that each device has a uniqueidentifier that provides for enhanced security and settlement. Otherwell established methods of secure transmission include the use ofencryption “keys” widely used amongst the transmission of informationbetween two IP based or proprietary solutions for the securecommunication of PSVs, PTBs, equipment identifiers, “states”, or anyother grid stabilizing command, control or status message necessary toimplement advanced load curtailment, load resources, or demand responsefor purposes of creating or aggregating individual load sources, groupsof load sources, or any sub increment to create Operating Reserves andother grid stabilizing reserves that improve grid stability andoperation. And correspondingly, for all supply availability and/oractual supply provided or introduced to the electric power grid for eachactive grid element, PSVs and PTBs, are aggregated as power supplysources in groups, or any sub increment to create distributed powersupply for introduction at any predetermined attachment points,geographic locations, and combinations thereof, provided that itcomplies with all requirements, by way of example and not limitation,FERC, NERC, governing authority rules and requirements, etc.

For example, the Coordinator provides for positive control allows asystem controller to receive a response from any active grid element atany location following its automatic registration with the electricpower grid. Once functioning as intended, the active grid elementcommunicates additional messaging, for example, which indicates that theactual target device has turned “off” or “on”, or reduced, as in thecase of a variable speed inductive device or a variable power consumingresistive device whereby complete operation is not interrupted but powerconsumption is reduced to create the operating reserve via curtailmentof some but not all of the power from the power consuming device.Correspondingly, for any active grid elements that function as powersupply, GSS or SSS elements provide for electric power supply availablefor introduction through attachment points for the grid. Additionally,each active grid element includes an unique active grid elementidentifier, which include an equipment identifier, but which iscompletely unique to each active grid element. Also, for each activegrid element, its IP address is either dynamically assigned when thegrid element is registered automatically with the system (e.g., throughuse of the dynamic host configuration protocol (DHCP)) or staticallyassigned by the serving IP network, thereby providing enhanced securityto protect against an act of random terrorism or sabotage inadvertentlyshutting down power services. Existing power management systems,including those utilizing radio subsystems that operate in unlicensedand uncontrolled spectrum bands such as the FCC is in bands, do notaddress security problems adequately and thus are more likelysusceptible to hostile or malicious acts. Further embodiments of theseactive grid element identifiers include the use of MAC addresses,standards based encryption keys, and the normal encryption technologiesthat are inherent with the use of standards based communications methodssuch as HSPA, EVDO and LTE where packets are encrypted from the pointthey leave the radio base station or in some cases the router and eventhe application layer itself. Further embodiments include VirtualPrivate Network (VPN) and VPN tunnels that form virtual physical layerconnections via an IP transport layer.

The market for electric power forecasts its needs on a predeterminedbasis, e.g., at least one day ahead of the event for load curtailment orsupply request. Load amounts for generation or curtailment are providedfor at least one location, geography, BA, and/or attachment point forthe grid; also, corresponding pricing for those load amounts, dependingupon the timing for the event, are also provided. Standby and clearingof energy supply are provided. These are generally controlled by anenergy trader in the market. Allocation is made for regulating reserves,operating reserves, ancillary resources, real-time energy, andcombinations thereof. For example a bid is submitted to ERCOT. Thestatus of each active grid element, including load-consuming devices andsupply sources is provided through messaging, preferably through theCoordinator; also, the Coordinator provides for information andmessaging relating to active grid element or device identification,capacity, status, etc. The Coordinator is the routing, status, capacity,identifier, tracking, and/or control communicator between themultiplicity of active grid elements and the EMS or control server, ASD.By reference to FIG. 8, ALC communicates its status through an ALD, ASD,and/or the Coordinator to the EMS and/or grid operator. Thecommunication occurs through the various methods and componentsidentified herein. The message from the active grid element and/ordevice, including identification of the element or device, capacity,availability for supply or load curtailment, etc. Significantly, eachgrid element must be registered with the grid to be activatedfunctionally, to then provide for active grid element functionalparticipation in the grid for the predetermined, intended function ofthe respective active grid element. In preferred embodiments, thisregistration occurs through the Coordinator and via IP messaging, andthe telemetry is provided as required by the grid for those specificactive grid elements, and depending upon their participation, function,and/or role in the grid. For example, telemetry streams at differentrates for regulating reserves (real-time or change state every sixseconds) and dead band controlled separately by the EMS, through theCoordinator, and for each of the active grid elements, including but notlimited to ALD/ASD, controller, etc.

IP-based systems are also bandwidth or network efficient. For example,IP devices are controlled via the 7-layer Open Systems Interconnection(OSI) model whereby the payload of each packet can contain a message or“change in state” or any other message required in the previousembodiments for purposes of stabilizing, statusing and the creation ofOperating Reserves for an electric grid or microgrid and does notrequire synchronous communication. This method of transmission (forexample “UDP” communications) allows for very minimum overhead and lowdata rates on a broadband network. IP Networks can also establishTransport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) messaging formatsfor transport of messaging. For proprietary “mesh” networks whosebandwidth performance is very poor and an IP message is encapsulated ina proprietary data packet that optionally contains encryption, anefficient asynchronous communication method is the only way to send outa plurality of messages and message type for command and control orstatus reporting. Additionally, IP devices can report many states thatare important to an electric grid operator, market participant. Thesestates supply compliance information necessary for the entity to receivecommand and control to insure the safe and reliable operation of thegrid, but are also necessary for measurement, verification, telemetry,settlement and Power Supply Values (PSVs) to provide the informationneeded to comply with the grid operator's standards to deliver OperatingReserves or any Demand response products where the end results improvegrid stability and will allow the consumer, utility, market participant,REP, CSP etc. to receive monetary compensation for supplying theseproducts as contemplated in FERC Order 745. These commands, including“no power” for outage or for simple demand response compliance measuredand verified at the device level, the meter level, the electrical buslevel or a plurality of all the above. Furthermore these commands areaggregated and presented to the grid operator or utility so that “many”end points, or active grid elements, can be simultaneously operated asone resource and responsive to an EMS. For example, the active loadclient 300 is implemented with a battery backup mechanism to providebackup or auxiliary power to the active load client 300 when AC power islost. In this case, when battery backup is invoked, the active loadclient can report a “no power” condition. Alternatively, a “no power”condition is assumed if an active load client fails to timely respond toa message (e.g., a poll or other message) from the ALD server,particularly where multiple active load clients in a geographic areafail to timely respond to the ALD server messaging or multiple UDPpackets receive no acknowledgement. Because the geographic location ofeach customer premises and active load client is known at the time ofinstallation or thereafter (e.g., using GPS coordinates), such networkoutages are located on a per meter basis, or per load consuming devicebasis.

A multiplicity of use cases for communications relating to the activegrid elements is provided under the systems and methods of the presentinvention. Messaging under the present invention includes any and allcommands, queries, etc. that relate to the profiles of the devices,“health” of the grid, status information, etc. Profiles automaticallydrive what is started, when, for controlled restart, rather than onlycontrolled restart commanded by the utility; the present inventionprovides for either the profiles and/or the utility to communicate forcommand and control, in particular for providing for grid stabilityand/or supply resource information.

Further embodiment allows the ALD, ASD, and/or Coordinator server toprovide prior to the loss of communication or power a set of profiles orcommands to be executed at the active grid elements level such that theyoperate automatically and autonomously providing the operating reservesthat the grid operator or utility desires, storing the measurement andverification information for transmittal later, or in the case of apower loss, very precise “re-start” procedures such that thesimultaneous impact of a power restoration from a grid operator does nothave the adverse effect of overloading the generation and distributionsystem. These embodiments of a “controlled restart” also apply to aCustomer Profile where the most mission critical devices at a consumerlocation are prioritized, known to the utility via a Power Supply Valueand other load characteristics such as power factor, voltage, current,reactive power or any other grid stabilizing metric that is reportedhistorically by the active grid elements such that the grid operator orthe customer can use these autonomous profiles, autonomous active gridelements and memory in same to create “microgrids” that autonomouslyoperate independent of the macro-grid operator and provide gridstabilizing load resources to those consumers that are isolated via themicrogrid where other supply sources that can power and operate themicrogrid either under the operation of a computer controlled system andapparatus or a separate utility or microgrid operator exists andoperates autonomously until communication with a host ALD or Coordinatoris re-established.

One of the most beneficial advantages of an IP-based power managementsystem, as provided in one embodiment of the present invention, isaccurate reporting of the actual amount of power available for thecreation of Operating Reserves via a distinct PSV value and associatedwith the active grid elements at the time the reserves are needed, aforecast of Power available via the customer profiles due to a pluralityof methods that include known “expected” behavior of customer and loadconsuming devices, the baseline methods previously described, and theability to allocate different types of operating reserves based upon theGrid Operator, CSP, MP, Utility, and equivalent's needs at the givencondition of the the grid as well as power saved by each customer on anindividual basis. Embodiments of the present invention monitor andcalculate precisely how many kilowatts (or carbon credits) are beinggenerated or saved per each of the active grid elements instead ofmerely providing an estimate. These values are stored in a Power SupplyValue (PSV) associated with the active grid elements, wherein thehistorical consumption, the real time consumption, the baselineconsumption data as provided by standards supplied by the governing body(NAESBY, FERC, NERC) establish the PSV that is used for transmitting viathe IP message the information necessary for grid stabilizing operatingreserves. Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention providemeans for tracking the actual amount of deferred load and pollutantsaccording to generation mix, serving utility and geographic area, andtracking by active grid elements individual contributions. Thesedeferred pollutants are recognized as “Renewable Energy Credits” asexemplified by the recently passed North Carolina Law known as SenateBill 567, where these PSV derived “Negawatts” count towards a generatingand distributing utilities obligations for supplying renewable energy asa percentage of their total generation mix. According to the presentinvention, if active grid elements have metrics and telemetry thatconfirm their corresponding curtailment or supply is measured, verified,settled within the parameters established, then utility can accept thesupply (aggregated by active grid elements to provide at least one PTB)that would have been available in the case of curtailment event, thenrenewable energy credits are available to the active grid element(s)level, i.e., megawatts equal renewable energy credits on a per activegrid element basis.

The present invention provides systems and methods for managing powersupplied over an electric power grid by an electric utility and/or othermarket participants to multiple active grid elements, each of whichhaving a Power Supply Value (PSV) associated with its energy consumptionand/or reduction in consumption. Preferably, according the systems andmethods of the present invention, generation of the PSV includesestimating and/or baselining. Furthermore, PSV applications for carboncredits are geodetically dependent, measured, or computed based uponelectricity consumed from a source for each of the active grid elements;for carbon credits, PSV is then based upon fossil fuel electricityeliminated through efficiency, reduction and baselining, provided thatthe PSV is measurable and verifiable.

The present invention systems, methods, and apparatus embodimentsprovide for any active grid element (i.e., any grid element followingits registration initially with the system) to communicate, in IP formator any proprietary messaging, any message that improves, modifies,enhances, changes, and combinations thereof, the characteristics inmemory, ASIC, metrology, location, security, status, change-in-state,and combinations thereof, including PSV, PTB, or other information aboutparticipation in activities in the grid, including grid stabilityenhancement, load curtailment, real-time energy management, supplyavailability, metrology tables, device assignment, and combinationsthereof. More preferably, all messaging, including initial registrationfor grid elements prior to their activation and transformation intoactive grid elements, and any updates, are provided between themultiplicity of active grid elements and the Coordinator, and managedfrom and through the Coordinator for one-to-many communications with theEMS, grid operator, supervisory control and distribution control andautomation, transmission control, or any active grid management system.

Power flow from supply sources, whether GSS or SSS, to the grid, and/orpower flow through the grid to the power consuming devices isselectively introduced, enabled, reduced and disabled by one or moreactive grid elements controlled and/or managed by the Coordinator, andmeasured with PSV and PTB accuracies for each of the active gridelements that are able to be recognized by the governing bodies withinrevenue grade metrology such that the active grid element(s) becomes inessence a sub-meter with PSV values that can report over the IPconnection, preferably through the Coordinator, a plurality of statesfor any active grid element or device, necessary for grid stability andcontrol over each ALC/ASC via the ALD/ASC such that each distributionpoint on the grid is stabilized at each point of the distribution ortransmission system to effect grid stabilization holistically ratherthan reacting to conditions as they occur. Power control messages from acontrolling server, preferably communicated through the Coordinator,indicate amounts of electric power to be reduced and/or OperatingReserves to be created, and/or supply to be introduced at predeterminedattachment points or location, and an identification of at least onecontrollable device to be instructed to disable, reduce or consume morea flow of electric power to one or more associated power consumingdevices depending on the type of Operating Reserves needed at the timeof activation by the ALD through the IP connection to the associated ALCto create the desired Operating Reserve or grid stabilizing reserves.Notably, the power control commands include a power inquiry commandrequesting the server to determine an amount of electric power available(PSV) for temporary reduction or increase from supply or adding tosupply (for example, Auto Reg up for regulating reserves/ Reg Down) by arequesting electric utility, market participant or electric power gridoperator(s) and wherein the command processor issues an associated powercontrol event message responsive to the power inquiry command, theserver further comprising: a database that stores current power usageinformation for the at least one electric utility or electric power gridoperator(s), wherein the event manager (or Coordinator) accesses theutility database responsive to receipt of the associated power controlevent message and communicates a response to the power inquiry commandindicating the amount of power available for temporary reduction basedon the current power usage information and the corresponding PowerSupply Value (PSV), estimated, derived or generated therefrom, for eachof the active grid elements. This polling command also functions as an“alert” to provide the active grid elements via the ALC/ASC to reportthe PSV, PTB, state, reactive power, voltage, current, or any other gridstabilizing metric to the ALD/ASD such that the ALD/ASD can byelectrical bus, by regional transmission organization, by BalancingAuthority, by microgrid, by individual consumer or by individualtransformer or any other system at any point on the distribution systemof the grid or microgrid a plurality of information such that theALD/ASD/Coordinator can prioritize the order, the type of curtailment,reduction in power or profile to effect to stabilize the grid ormicrogrid or to supply the utility, REP, market participant, CSP orother an instantaneous and accurate snapshot of the available resourcefor dispatch and to prepare the active grid elements to look for apriority message delivered via an IP flag or specially formatted messageso that the message combined with the Alert has the grid stabilizingeffect. Thus, the present invention systems and methods provide forcreation of the grid stability product and/or operating reserve;messaging is used for status, grid “health”, down to active gridelements level.

In preferred embodiments of the present invention, operating reservemessages are prioritized over network, including over other traffic onthe network. Furthermore, priority messaging is further includes so thaton standards-based or proprietary communications networks that havesufficient speed, measurement (PSV) and are responsive to an EMS and/orCoordinator that have network priority over other packets, such thatemergency and/or critical infrastructure protection power managementcommands receive priority over any other power control commands, totransmit those messages over other non-critical traffic.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a system for managing poweron an electric power grid that is constructed and configured forsupplying and receiving power from a multiplicity of sources, where thepower flows to a plurality of active grid elements or is generated by aplurality of active grid elements, including power generation andstorage solutions, that are enabled and disabled by a plurality ofactive grid elements including controllable devices, wherein the systemincludes: a server comprising a command processor operable to receive orinitiate power commands and issue power event messages responsivethereto, at least one of the power commands requiring a reduction orincrease in an amount of electric power consumed by the plurality ofactive grid elements functioning as power consuming devices orintroduction or availability for introduction of distributed powersupply by active grid elements including GSS or SSS; an event manageroperable to receive the power control event messages, maintain at leastone power management status relating to each client device and issuepower control event instructions responsive to the power control eventmessages that are initiated from a market participant, a utility, or anelectric grid operator; a database for storing, information relating topower consumed by the plurality of power consuming devices and basedupon the amount of power to be reduced to each of the power consumingdevices or power supply source (GSS or SSS), generating at least onepower supply value (PSV) or change in PSV associated with each activegrid element, including transmission line losses in proximity associatedwith the location or attachment or service point of the active gridelement; and a client device manager operably coupled to the eventmanager and the database, the client device manager selecting from thedatabase, based on the information stored in the database, at least oneclient device to which to issue a power control message indicating atleast one of an amount of electric power to be reduced or increased orintroduced by distributed supply source, and/or identification of atleast one controllable device to be instructed to disable a flow ofelectric power to one or more associated active grid elementsfunctioning as power consuming devices responsive to receipt of a powercontrol event instruction requiring a reduction in a specified amount ofelectric power; the plurality of controllable device and correspondingdevice interfaces facilitating communication of power controlinstructions to the controllable devices, the power control instructionscausing the at least one controllable device to selectively enable anddisable a flow of power to the power consuming device(s); and a devicecontrol manager operably coupled to the controllable device interfacesfor issuing a power control instruction to the controllable devicesthrough the controllable device interfaces, responsive to the receivedpower control message, the power control instruction causing thecontrollable device(s) to disable a flow of electric power to at leastone associated power consuming device for reducing consumed power, andbased upon the reduction in consumed power, generating another (at leasta second) power supply value (PSV) corresponding to the reduction inconsumed power or power supplied or available for supply.

This embodiment further includes a combination of a processor, database,event manager, preferences manager and market conditions to includeprice of electric power, grid stabilization events and location ofcustomer relative to the grid operator's generation, transmission, anddistribution elements would effect a change on the electric grid by achange in the power consuming devices utilizes some or all of theinformation provided by the grid operator, market participant, orutility to automatically or manually through a plurality ofcommunications methods (smart phone, tablet computer, computer, textresponse, phone message) elect to curtail or consume power to effect achange to the normal operation of a plurality of active grid elements inexchange for credits, economic/monetary incentives, rewards programs, orcarbon/green credits. This provides that active grid elements receives areal time or near real time signal from a grid operator that alerts themto an economic event that would allow them to make substantialcompensation for curtailing or accepting power at that minimum timeinterval for both reporting and responding as established by thegoverning entity. This is real-time pricing for gridstress/stabilization or very high commodity pricing.

Preferably, market pricing conditions via a customer profile that can beloaded to a smart phone, tablet, or any web-enabled appliance foraccepting or modifying a profile or moreover a profile that automatedcontrols based upon previously selected economic messages.

One embodiment of the present invention active grid elements and theirregistration is applied to controlling power distribution for a varietyof electric utility companies, market participant (MP) or any otherelectric power grid operator(s) by actively monitoring the amount ofpower needed by each MP and supplying the required power by redirectingpower from participating customers. In this embodiment, customers agreeto allow the power management system to disable certain power-consumingdevices during peak loading times of the day. In one example for activegrid elements, smart breakers, load control switches (submetering ALCs)or any other device that can be interfaced or added within an electricconsuming device or added at the point where the electric consumingdevices receives power from a wall socket or any other electricalconnection which have the ability to be switched on or off remotely, areinstalled for specific devices in an electric service control panelaccessed by a known IP address following the initial registration of thegrid elements. Alternatively, IP-addressable smart appliances are ableto be used. The power management system determines the amount ofsteady-state power each device consumes when turned on and logs theinformation in a database for each subscriber. For example, a currentsensor on each smart appliance or within each smart breaker or powermeasurement circuit that is incorporated in the device that serves as ade-facto ALC with metrology sufficient to be accepted as a PSV foraggregation to the ALD for the creation of Operating Reserves measurethe amount of current consumed by each monitored device. An active loadclient then multiplies the amount of current consumed by the operatingvoltage of the device to obtain the power consumption, and transmits thepower consumption to the ALD server. When the serving utility needs morepower than it is currently able to supply, the power load managementsystem automatically adjusts the power distribution by turning off orreducing specific loads on an individual device or subscriber basis.Because the amount of power consumed by each specific load is known viathe PSV and aggregated via the PTB, the system can determine preciselywhich loads to turn off or reduce and tracks the power savings generatedby each customer as a result of this short-term outage.

Furthermore, based upon the reduction in consumed power, the systems andmethods of the present invention provide for generating at the controlcenter a power supply value (PSV) corresponding to the reduction inconsumed power by the power consuming device(s). Importantly, the PSV isan actual value that includes measurement and verification of thereduction in consumed power; such measurement and verification methodsare determined by the appropriate governing body or authority for theelectric power grid(s). Power Supply Value (PSV) is calculated at themeter or submeter or at building control system or at any device orcontroller that measures power within the standard as supplied by theregulatory body(ies) that govern the regulation of the grid. PSVvariations depend on operating tolerances, operating standard foraccuracy of the measurement. PSV further includes forecasting,statistical sampling, baselining, and combinations thereof. The PSVenables transformation of curtailment or reduction in power at thedevice level by any system that sends or receives an IP message to berelated to or equated to supply as presented to the governing entitythat accepts these values and award supply equivalence, for example of apower generating entity or an entity allowed to control power consumingdevices as permitted by the governing body of the electric power grid,e.g., FERC, NERC, etc.

PSV are provided in units of capacity, demand, electrical power flow,time, monetary equivalent, energy and combinations thereof. Thus, thePSV provides an actual value that is confirmed by measurement and/orverification, thereby providing for a curtailment value as a requirementfor providing supply to the power grid, wherein the supply to the powerelectric power grid is provided for grid stability, voltage stability,reliability, and combinations thereof, and is further provided asresponsive to an energy management system or equivalent for providinggrid stability, reliability, frequency as determined by governingauthority for the electric power grid and/or grid operator(s).

FIG. 12 provides a schematic diagram illustrating active grid elementsincluding ALD, ALC, and IP communications for distributed gridintelligence within systems of the present invention.

Smart grid configurations including active grid elements are preferredunder systems and methods of the present invention. By way of example,consider embodiments in FIGS. 13-15, which provide schematic diagramsthat illustrate active grid elements within smart grid withdecentralized networks according to systems and methods of the presentinvention.

FIG. 16 shows a schematic diagram for supply from utility, marketparticipant, CSP, and/or REP, ALD/cloud layer, ICCP, control anddispatch, and micro-grid enablement according to systems and methods ofthe present invention.

As set forth hereinabove, the present invention provides systems andmethods for generating operating reserves for an electric power grid.Correspondingly, FIG. 17 provides a graphic illustration of operatingreserves categories and base load; FIG. 18 is a schematic diagramrepresenting operating reserves for supply side generation of electricpower for a grid, active grid elements, including ALD, ALC, powerconsuming devices, and other components of the systems and methods ofthe present invention for generating operating reserves of differentcategories.

FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of the presentinvention with active grid elements, including power consuming devices,control devices, ALC, ALD, customer profile, IP communication network,and grid telemetry components of systems and methods of the presentinvention.

FIG. 20 is a schematic diagram showing one embodiment of the presentinvention with active grid elements including EMS, power consumingdevices, control devices, ALC, ALD, customer profile, IP communicationnetwork, and grid telemetry components of systems and methods of thepresent invention. In another illustration, FIG. 21 shows a schematicdiagram for one embodiment of the present invention with active gridelements including EMS, power consuming devices, control devices, ALC,ALD, customer profile, IP communication network, and grid telemetrycomponents of systems and methods of the present invention.

FIG. 22 is a table of consumer-adjustable parameters as examples forsystems and methods components according to the present invention. FIG.23 is a flow diagram illustrating method steps for energy-consumingdevices and the generation of power supply value (PSV) for thosedevices, according to embodiments of the present invention, includinglearning profile. Furthermore, FIG. 24 shows a flow diagram for methodsof the present invention for calculating the time period forenvironmentally dependent and independent devices and determining orgenerating power supply value (PSV) for those power-consuming devices.

By way of example, for active grid elements that function fortemperature or environmental-factor controlling devices as powerconsuming devices, FIG. 25 provides a graph showing at least three (3)dimensions for factors associated with load consumption and devicesmanaging temperature control for corresponding power consuming devices,including the change in factors over time. FIG. 26 is a graph showingfirst, second, and additional standard deviations of for the chart ofdrift versus time, for use with the systems and methods of the presentinvention. When active grid elements, including the coordinator and/orALD is automatically considering load curtailment, preferably a searchalgorithm provides the most load against the least amount of consumersimpacted. Based upon the thermal drift of structures, additionalstructures are identified and selected, to provide required curtailmentfor grid stability. Each structure has its own factors, as illustratedin FIG. 25. Thus, the ALD selects and provides instructions to the ALCsand/or power consuming devices based upon profiles and attributes.Alternatively, least-cost algorithms are used by the coordinator fordetermining communications routing and energy routing through the activegrid elements registered and updated within the systems and methods ofthe present invention.

Preferably, the system stores in memory on the server computerassociated with the database for storing information relating to theenergy management system and its various active grid elements, asdescribed in the specification, e.g., identification of the last powerconsuming device(s) used for satisfying a load curtailment event, andautomatically shifts their categorization for the ALD for purposes ofselection for the next curtailment event.

FIG. 27 depicts an exemplary IP-based active power management system 10in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. Theexemplary power management system 10 monitors and manages powerdistribution to a multiplicity of active grid elements via a coordinatorand/or an active load director (ALD) server 100 connected between one ormore utility control centers (UCCs) 200 (one shown) and one or moreactive load clients (ALCs) 300 (one shown). The ALD server 100communicate with the utility control center 200 and each active loadclient 300 either directly or through a network 80 using the InternetProtocol (IP) or any other connection-based protocols. For example, theALD server 100 communicates using RF systems operating via one or morebase stations 90 (one shown) using one or more wireless communicationprotocols, such as Global System for Mobile communications (GSM),Enhanced Data GSM Environment (EDGE), High Speed Packet Access (HSDPA),Time Division Multiple Access (TDMA), or Code Division Multiple Accessdata standards, including CDMA 2000, CDMA Revision A, and CDMA RevisionB. Alternatively, or additionally, the ALD server 100 communicates via adigital subscriber line (DSL) capable connection, cable television basedIP capable connection, or any combination thereof. In the exemplaryembodiment shown, the ALD server 100 communicates with one or moreactive load clients (ALCs) 300 using a combination of traditionalIP-based communication (e.g., over a trunked line) to a base station 90and a wireless channel implementing the WIMAX protocol for the “lastmile” from the base station 90 to the active load client 300.

Each active grid element 300 is accessible through a specified address(e.g., IP address), and for the case of ALCs, each one controls andmonitors the state of other active grid elements associated with them,for example, individual smart breaker modules or intelligent appliances60 installed in the business or residence 20 to which the ALC 300 isassociated (e.g., connected or supporting). Each ALC 300 is associatedwith a single residential or commercial customer. In one embodiment, theALC 300 communicates with a residential load center 400 that containssmart breaker modules, which are able to switch from an “ON” (active)state to an “OFF” (inactive), and vice versa, responsive to signalingfrom the ALC 300. Smart breaker modules include, for example, smartbreaker panels manufactured by Schneider Electric SA under the trademark“Square D” or Eaton Corporation under the trademark “Cutler-Hammer” forinstallation during new construction. For retro-fitting existingbuildings, smart breakers having means for individual identification andcontrol are able to be used. Typically, each smart breaker controls asingle appliance and is embedded in circuits or individual appliances orappliance controls or appliance control devices, whether internal to thedevice housing, or external thereto (e.g., a washer/dryer 30, a hotwater heater 40, an HVAC unit 50, or a pool pump 70).

Additionally, the ALC 300 controls other active grid elements, e.g.,individual smart appliances, directly (e.g., without communicating withthe residential load center 300) via one or more of a variety of knowncommunication protocols (e.g., IP, Broadband over PowerLine (BPL) in itsvarious forms, including through specifications promulgated or beingdeveloped by the HOMEPLUG Powerline Alliance and the IEEE, Ethernet,BLUETOOTH, ZIGBEE, WI-FI, WIMAX, etc.). Typically, a smart appliance 60includes a power control module (not shown) having communicationabilities. The power control module is installed in-line with the powersupply to the appliance, between the actual appliance and the powersource (e.g., the power control module is plugged into a power outlet atthe home or business and the power cord for the appliance is pluggedinto the power control module). Thus, when the power control modulereceives a command to turn off the appliance 60, it disconnects theactual power supplying the appliance 60. Alternatively, a smartappliance 60 includes a power control module integrated directly intothe appliance, which receives commands and control the operation of theappliance directly (e.g., a smart thermostat performs such functions asraising or lowering the set temperature, switching an HVAC unit on oroff, or switching a fan on or off). All of these various active gridelements are automatically managed and provide for automatic messagingwith the Coordinator and/or other active grid elements with which theyare associated, as described herein.

There are several types of messages that the active grid elements (forexample, an ALC manager 108) receive from a coordinator and processaccordingly. By way of example and not limitation, a security alertmessage, a priority message, a report trigger message, a status responsemessage, a status update message, a power savings message, andcombinations thereof. A security alert message originates from anoptional security or safety monitoring system installed in the residenceor business and coupled to the active grid element(s) (e.g., wirelesslyor via a wired connection). When a security alert message is received bythe Coordinator, it accesses the database to obtain routing informationfor determining where to send the alert, and then sends the alert asdirected to those active grid elements affected or associated with thealert messaging. For example, the Coordinator is programmed to send thealert or another message (e.g., IP-based message, an electronic mailmessage, a pre-recorded voice message, and combinations thereof) to asecurity monitoring service company and/or the owner of the residence orbusiness.

A report trigger message alerts the Coordinator that a predeterminedamount of power, PSV, PTB, and combinations thereof has been consumed bya specific device monitored by an active grid element. When a reporttrigger message is received from the active grid element(s), theCoordinator logs the information contained in the message in thedatabase for the active grid element(s) associated with the informationsupplied. The power consumption information, including PSV, PTB, andcombinations thereof, is then used by the Coordinator to determine theactive grid elements (ALDs/ALCs) to which to send a power reduction or“Cut” or reduce message during a power reduction event to satisfy theoperating reserve requirement.

A status response message reports the type and status of each activegrid element in communication with the Coordinator. When a statusresponse message is received from an active grid element, theCoordinator automatically logs the information contained in the messagein the database.

In another embodiment, a power savings message and/or application isoptionally included to calculate the total amount of power saved by eachutility or market participant during a power reduction event (referredto herein as a “Cut event” or “reduce event”), as well as the amount ofpower saved, PSV, PTB, and combinations for each active grid elementthat reduced the amount of power delivered, PSV, PTB, and combinationsthereof, and matched against a baseline associated with that active gridelement. The power savings application 120 accesses the data stored inthe database 124 for each customer serviced by a particular utility andstores the total cumulative power savings, or PSV (e.g., in megawattsper hour, or kWH/MWH) aggregated by participating active grid elementsand/or accumulated by each utility for each Cut or reduce event, i.e.,curtailment or load control event, in which the active grid elementsand/or utility participated as an entry in the database.

FIG. 28 illustrates a schematic diagram of an exemplary active loadclient 300 in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.The depicted active grid element (here functioning as an active loadclient (ALC) 300) includes a Linux-based operating system 302, a statusresponse generator 304, a smart breaker module controller 306, a smartdevice interface 324, a communications interface 308, a securityinterface 310, an IP-based communication converter 312, a device controlmanager 314, a smart breaker (B 1-BN) counter manager 316, a reporttrigger application 318, an IP router 320, a smart meter interface 322,a security device interface 328, and an IP device interface 330. Theactive grid element as ALC, in this embodiment, is a computer orprocessor-based system located on-site at a customer's residence orbusiness. The primary function of the active grid elements/ALCs is tomanage the power load levels of controllable devices located at theresidence or business, which the active load client 300 oversees onbehalf of the customer. In an exemplary embodiment, the software runningon the active grid element operates using the Linux embedded operatingsystem 302 to manage the hardware and the general software environment.One skilled in the art will readily recognize that other operatingsystems, such as Microsoft's family of operating systems, Mac OS, andSun OS, C++, machine language, among others, are be alternatively used.Additionally, the active load client 300 includes DHCP clientfunctionality to enable the active grid elements to dynamically requestIP addresses for themselves and/or one or more controllable devices402-412, 420, 460 (which are able to be other active grid elements)associated therewith and/or managed thereby from a DHCP server on thehost IP network facilitating communications between the active loadclient 300 and the ALD server 100. The active grid element furtherincludes router functionality and maintain a routing table of assignedIP addresses in a memory of the active grid element to facilitatedelivery of messages from the active grid elements to the controllabledevices 402-412, 420, 460 and/or also for messaging via the network withthe Coordinator.

A communications interface 308 facilitates connectivity between theactive grid elements and the Coordinator(s), which also includesALDs/ASDs. Communication between the active grid elements and theCoordinator and/or server and/or processor coupled with memory(functioning as server) is based on any type of IP or other connectionprotocol, including but not limited to, the WIMAX protocol, andequivalents or alternatives, as discussed in the foregoing. Thus, thecommunications interface 308 is able to be a wired or wireless modem, awireless access point, or other appropriate interface for any and all ofthe active grid elements.

A standard IP Layer-3 router 320 routes messages received by thecommunications interface 308 to both the active grid element sand to anyother locally connected devices 440, which includes other active gridelements that are registered with the system and/or energy router(coordinator). The router 320 and/or coordinator including routingfunctions determines if a received message is directed to the activegrid element and, if so, passes the message to a security interface 310to be decrypted (if encrypted messaging). The security interface 310provides protection for the contents of the messages exchanged betweenthe Coordinator, server, and the active grid elements. The messagecontent is encrypted and decrypted by the security interface 310 using,for example, a symmetric encryption key composed of a combination of theIP address and GPS data for the active grid elements or any othercombination of known information. If the message is not directed to theactive grid elements, then it is passed to the IP device interface 330for delivery to one or more locally connected active grid elements, asdetermined by the coordinator. For example, the IP router 320 isprogrammed to route power management system messages (including any typeof messaging relevant to the active grid elements) as well asconventional Internet messages. In such a case, the active grid elementsand Coordinator(s) function as a gateway for Internet service suppliedto the residence or business, or to other active grid elements, insteadof using separate Internet gateways or routers.

An IP based communication converter 312 opens incoming messages from theserver and/or Coordinator and directs them to the appropriate functionwithin the designated active grid elements. The converter 312 alsoreceives messages from various active grid element functions (e.g., adevice control manager 314, a status response generator 304, and areport trigger application 318), packages the messages in the formexpected by the Coordinator and/or server 100, and then passes them onto the security interface 310 for encryption.

The Coordinator routes and/or processes power management commands and/orcommand messages for various active grid elements logically connected.The active grid elements include, by way of example and not limitation,smart breakers, smart meters, load control appliances, building controlsystems, and the like, 402-412 or other IP-based devices 420, such assmart appliances with individual control modules (not shown).Preferably, the Coordinator also processes “Query Request” or equivalentcommands or messages from the server by querying a status responsegenerator (which are included within the Coordinator processing and/ordatabase associated therewith) which maintains the type and status ofeach active grid element associated with the Coordinator, and providingthe statuses to the server and/or database for retention, analysis, andother processing or reporting. The “Query Request” message includesinformation other than mere status requests, including settings foractive grid elements, by way of example and not limitation, such astemperature set points for thermally controlled devices, time intervalsduring which load control is permitted or prohibited, dates during whichload control is permitted or prohibited, and priorities of devicecontrol (e.g., during a power reduction event, hot water heater and poolpump are turned off before HVAC unit is turned off), PSV, PTB, and/orcombinations thereof.

The Coordinator messaging with the active grid elements also preferablyincludes status response generator 304 that receives status messagesfrom the server and, responsive thereto, polls each active grid elementand/or controllable device 402-412, 420, 460 to determine whether theyare functioning and in good operational order. Each active grid elementresponds to the polls with operational information (e.g., activitystatus and/or error reports) in a status response message. TheCoordinator stores the status responses in a memory (or routes them tothe database for storage) associated with the status response generatorfor reference in connection with power management events for supplyand/or load curtailment.

Preferably, the Coordinator and each of the active grid elements furtherincludes a smart device interface 324 that facilitates IP or otheraddress-based communications with and from individual active gridelements 420 (e.g., smart appliance power control modules). Theconnectivity can be through one of several different types of networks,including but not limited to, BPL, ZIGBEE, WI-FI, BLUETOOTH, or directEthernet communications. Thus, the smart device interface 324 is a modemadapted for use in or on the network connecting the active grid elementswith other active grid elements, including smart devices and appliances.The smart device interface 324 also allows the Coordinator to managethose devices that have the capability to sense temperature settings andrespond to temperature variations.

By way of describing another embodiment, all active grid elements,including but not limited to smart breakers, smart meters, load controlappliances, building control systems, and the like, module controller306 formats, sends, and receives messages, including power control, PSV,PTB, and/or combinations thereof, instructions, to and from the smartbreaker module 400. In one embodiment, the communications is preferablythrough a BPL connection. In such embodiment, the smart breaker modulecontroller 306 includes a BPL modem and operations software. The smartbreaker module 400 contains individual smart breakers, smart meters,load control appliances, building control systems, and the like,402-412, wherein each smart breaker 402-412 includes an applicable modem(e.g., a BPL modem when BPL is the networking technology employed) andis preferably in-line with power supplied to a single appliance or otherdevice. The B1-BN counter manager 316 determines and stores real timepower usage for each installed smart breaker 402-412. For example, thecounter manager 316 tracks or counts the amount of power or PSV, PTB,and/or combinations used by each smart breaker 402-412 and stores thecounted amounts of power in a memory of the active load client 300associated with the counter manager 316. When the counter for anybreaker 402-412 reaches a predetermined limit, the counter manager 316provides an identification number corresponding to the smart breaker402-412 and the corresponding amount of power (power number), PSV, PTB,and combinations thereof, to the report trigger application 318. Oncethe information is passed to the report trigger application 318, thecounter manager 316 resets the counter for the applicable breaker402-412 to zero so that information can once again be collected. Thereport trigger application 318 then creates a reporting messagecontaining identification information for the active load client 300,identification information for the particular smart breaker 402-412, andthe power number, and sends the report to the IP based communicationconverter 312 for transmission to the server 100.

Preferably, the systems and methods of the present invention provide forautomated remote updating of active grid elements via communicationsthrough the network with the Coordinator(s), including but not limitedto software, firmware, chipsets, kernels, and combinations thereof.Updating through the Coordinator(s) and/or central server, and/ordedicated server for updating active grid elements is provided by thepresent invention. Also, commands are sent for purposes for updating anyand all attributes of the active grid elements, including PSV, and/orPTB by a central and/or remote device or server, or processor, meant toenhance for update PSV, PTB, or location of PTB server point ASIC withinan IP message or proprietary message that deal with table spaces,pricing, changes in acceptable time increments, status messages,location of market (LMP, node, electrical bus, etc.) for the load formarketing, aggregated, settled, and combinations thereof. The updatingis for purposes of PSV, PTB, or ability to know the health and/or statusof any active grid elements within any zone within the electric powergrid. Thus, the systems and methods of the present invention provide forautomatic updating of any and all active grid elements by remote serveror dedicated device(s), through Coordinator(s) and/or directly to activegrid elements that affect any aspect of updating of active grid elementsrelating to software, firmware, rules, metrology, ASICs, chipsets,machine code, operating systems, and combinations thereof. Furthermore,active grid elements are updated for improved or increased accuracy ofactive grid elements to qualify PSV and PTB associated therewith. Also,the present invention provides for active grid elements with smartcross-communication that provide for at least one active grid element totransmit commands to at least one other active grid element within thenetwork associated with the electric power grid.

FIG. 29 illustrates an exemplary operational flow diagram 600 providingsteps executed by the server (e.g., as part of the Coordinator) toconfirm automatically the registration of any grid element to the powermanagement system 10 associated with the electric power grid, inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The steps arepreferably implemented as a set of computer instructions (software)stored in a memory (not shown) of the server and/or Coordinator andexecuted by one or more processors (not shown) of the server. Inaccordance with the logic flow, the Coordinator 108 receives (602) anautomated messaging from any grid element that is energized, but notalready registered with the system; the messaging includes attributes ofthe grid element as set forth hereinabove. The Coordinator responds withmessaging to confirm the registration of the grid element, which thentransforms it into an active grid element, thereby providing itsfunctionality to be associated with the electric power grid. An “Update”or similar transaction message or command from the Coordinator that usesthe IP address specified in the “Update” message to send (604) out a“Query Request” or similar message or command to the active gridelement. The “Query Request” message includes a list of active gridelements the server 100 expects to be managed automatically. Updatingsoftware, firmware, or any code embodiment via communication network viaIP messages after the active grid elements are registered via theCoordinator or other operations processor/database. The Coordinator alsoreceives (606) a query reply containing information about the activegrid elements (e.g., current IP network, operational state (e.g.,functioning or not), setting of all the counters for measuring currentusage (e.g., all are set to zero at initial set up time), status ofactive grid elements or other devices being controlled (e.g., eitherswitched to the “on” state or “off” state)). The Coordinator updates(608) the database with the latest status information obtained from theactive grid element. If the Coordinator detects (610), from the queryreply, or as indicated in the messaging from the active grid elementthat the active grid element is functioning properly, it sets (612) theactive grid element state to “registered” and/or “active” to allowparticipation in Coordinator server activities within the electric powergrid and power management system associated therewith. However, if theCoordinator detects (610) that the active grid element is notfunctioning properly, it sends (614) a “Service” or similar transactionmessage or command to a service dispatch manager 126.

Referring now to FIG. 30, an exemplary operational flow diagram 700 isillustrated providing steps executed by the Coordinator and/or server100 (e.g., as part of the master event manager 106) to manage activitiesand/or events in the exemplary power load management system 10 andcommunication about them with registered and active grid elements, inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The steps arepreferably implemented as a set of computer instructions (software)stored in a memory (not shown) of the server and executed by one or moreprocessors (not shown) of the server and/or Coordinator. Pursuant to thelogic flow, the Coordinator tracks (702) current power usage and/or PSVwithin each utility and/or active grid element associated with theCoordinator and/or server.

Additionally, active grid element profiles for power consumption areincluded in the present invention. The embodiments described utilizeconcepts disclosed in published patent application US 2009/0062970,entitled “System and Method for Active Power Load Management” which isincorporated by reference in its entirety herein. The followingparagraphs describe the Active Management Load System (ALMS), whichincludes at least one Active Load Director (ALD), and at least oneActive Load Client (ALC) in sufficient detail to assist the reader inthe understanding of the embodiments described herein. More detaileddescription of the ALMS, ALD, and ALC can be found in US 2009/0062970,which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

By way of example, based upon the reduction in consumed power, thesystems and methods of the present invention provide for generating atthe control center a power supply value (PSV) corresponding to thereduction in consumed power by the active grid elements. Importantly,the PSV is an actual value that includes measurement and verification ofthe reduction in consumed power; such measurement and verificationmethods are determined by the appropriate governing body or authorityfor the electric power grid(s). Power Supply Value (PSV) is calculatedat the meter or submeter or at building control system or at any activegrid element that measures power within the standard as supplied by theregulatory body(ies) that govern the regulation of the grid. PSVvariations depend on operating tolerances, operating standard foraccuracy of the measurement. The PSV enables transformation ofcurtailment or reduction in power at the active grid element level byany system that sends or receives an IP message to be related to orequated to supply as presented to the governing entity that acceptsthese values and award supply equivalence, for example of a powergenerating entity or an entity allowed to control active grid elementssuch as power consuming devices as permitted by the governing body ofthe electric power grid, e.g., FERC, NERC, etc.

PSV associated with active grid elements are provided in units ofelectrical power flow, monetary equivalent, and combinations thereof.Thus, the PSV provides an actual value that is confirmed by measurementand/or verification, thereby providing for a curtailment value as arequirement for providing supply to the power grid, wherein the supplyto the power electric power grid is provided for grid stability, voltagestability, reliability, and combinations thereof, and is furtherprovided as responsive to an energy management system or equivalent forproviding grid stability, reliability, frequency as determined bygoverning authority for the electric power grid and/or grid operator(s).

Energy consumption patterns associated with active grid elements aresubject to analysis that is able to be used for a variety of differenttypes of activities. For example, based on the energy consumptionpatterns created from this data, the Coordinator will derive performancecurves and/or data matrices for each service point to which the activegrid elements are attached and determine the amount of energy reductionthat can be realized from each active grid element and its functionalitywithin the electric power grid. The Coordinator(s) create a list ofservice points associated with the active grid elements through whichenergy consumption can be reduced via demand side management,interruptible load, or spinning/regulation reserves. This informationcan be manipulated by the Coordinator and/or ALD processes to create aprioritized, rotational order of control, called “intelligent loadrotation” which is described in detail below. This rotational shiftingof the burden of the interruptible load has the practical effect ofreducing and flattening the utility load curve while allowing theserving utility to effectively group its customers within the ALD or itsown databases by energy efficiency.

Generally, the embodiments described encompass a closed loop system andmethod for creating a profile, calculating and deriving patterns ofenergy usage and supply, and making use of those patterns whenimplemented through the machinery of a system comprised of active gridelements combined with the physical communications link and when theseinputs are manipulated through a computer, processor, memory, routersand other necessary machines as those who are skilled in the art wouldexpect to be utilized.

As illustrated by FIG. 31, a settlement processor is provided forsystems and methods of the present invention. Advantageously, and by wayof comparison to electronic settlement associated with point of saletransactions, for example as with gasoline purchases at a pump stationwith electronic payment, traditional boundaries used with financialsettlements for grid elements are not restrictive factors with thesystems and methods of the present invention. By way of illustration andnot limitation, a grid element is an electric vehicle; once registeredthrough the coordinator to participate in the system, the mobility ofthe grid element allows it to connect and participate within the powergrid to consume or draw power (charging) and to supply power(discharging the battery) at a multiplicity of locations acrosstraditional boundaries. With the systems and methods of the presentinvention, the grid element location for its participation (consuming orsupplying power) is automatically identified with the activities and thesettlement for that participation is provided at the point ofattachment.

The present invention further provides systems and methods forsettlement of participation in the electric power grid by grid elementsthat include a coordinator and/or translator network-based communicationto communicate with legacy systems associated with the electric powergrid, the legacy systems including network management systems, energymanagement systems, ISO, utility, SCADA, EMS, meter data, tables,graphical information system asset management server including updatedchanges within the distribution system, customer information systems,enterprise billing systems, outage management systems, data warehouse,historical data, legacy demand-side management system, legacyinformation and/or control system having grid information for gridelements for active control of those grid elements, and combinationsthereof. Regardless of type and frequency of telemetry for those legacysystems, the present invention provides for increased frequency up toreal-time data, and improved accuracy of data associated with theparticipation of the grid elements in the electric power grid. Benefitsfor the consumer of electric power from the grid include more accuratedata associated with grid element participation in the grid, andtherefore reduced payments and/or increased total compensation in thecase of a power generator or curtailment activities acting as supply.

For the present invention, a node is a point within the electric powergrid at which power is generated or drawn out. Resource nodes are thepoints at which power is passed back, connectivity nodes of thegenerator to the system. Settlement quality measurement of theinjections and withdrawals; 15 min price is calculated and used forreal-time energy settlement through the use of reporting grid elementsthat possess revenue grade metrology, as defined by standards bodies,such as ANSI in North America, or the appropriate standards bodies thatspecify the accuracy to classified as revenue grade by the governingbody and are transformable by changes in the software and or firmware toimprove the accuracy of the power measurement at the point ofsettlement. Thus the systems and methods of the present inventionprovide for accuracy improvements of any type, and any and all updatesto profiles, preferences, and any other upgrade associated with any gridelement, in particular those providing for increased settlementaccuracy, which are communicated over the network by IP-based messagingor proprietary messaging.

The ratings of the GSU are provided by the resource entity and areentered into the model. The 15 minute market-based price is calculatedfor the resource node, even if the resource node is offline. A clearingprice is still calculated, even if no additional power is supplied by agenerator at that node and also, for the resource node, in the eventtransformers de-energize for maintenance. Grid elements are deployed andare configurable in a loop (or a loop feeder) fault tolerant design sothat if there is a fault, the power is re-routed automatically. The 15minute-based prices can change and be recalculated in the event thatpart or all of the electrical bus is de-energized. Some feeders off ofelectrical buses are not in a fault tolerant configuration and when theyfail or are de-energized, it is still possible to clear a price forproviding resource if a supply or curtailment source has been registeredthrough the art and ultimately to the grid operator, Market Participant,ISO, utility, or plurality thereof. In this use case a distributedenergy resource can inject energy to the de-energized distribution ortransmission lines and thus create the use case of settlements perattachment or per measuring grid element per customer. Nodal price isequal to the subsystem average in the prior art; this teaches away fromthe present invention inasmuch as the systems and methods of the presentinvention provide for real-time accurate measured contributions and loadconsumption. Thus, price for generation is optimized and/or maximizedfor each grid element that participates in supply of power or loadcurtailment as supply to the grid at those nodes. Clearing price forpower is provided at the node, in the example case wherein theelectrical bus is de-energized and alternative and/or distributed powersupply is provided to any and/or all of the power-consuming gridelements associated with that node, includes not only the capacity andenergy charges, but also preferably includes the base distribution andattachment charges, which are normally granted to the TDSP for thatperiod of time in which such power is supplied, measured, tracked,communicated, transformed, etc. according to the present invention forsettlement.

Preferably, systems and methods of the present invention consider theinformation provided by ISO, which publishes a day ahead, a week ahead,a month ahead and/or real time pricing for capacity, energy andoperating reserves. Consideration of this information provide by ISO isprovided through a pricing element communicated through the Coordinator.The pricing element further includes factors and/or information relatingto the impact of commodity pricing (e.g., natural gas) as an input tothe settlement systems and methods of the present invention.

A resource node is associated with the electrical bus, in which aresource is measured and an output is settled. It is theoreticallypossible to settle at the electric bus for generation resource connectedto the grid at only one electric bus, then at that bus as the resourcenode. For all others, the resource node is the generation resources sideof the e-bus where the generation source is connected to the electricalpower grid or where there are aforementioned boundaries that alsopossess a grid element that employs revenue grade metrology andreporting thereof.

Settlement for grid elements according to the present inventionconsiders the location of each of the grid elements, the locationsettlement at the closest node for the connection of the grid element(s)to the electric power grid, including the physical attachment point tothe distribution system or at the grid element that measures the “net”power injected at the attachment point to the electric grid that is alsocapable of grid stabilization (frequency synch, voltage support, etc.).

SCED—Security Constrained Economic Dispatch

Security messaging is provided by systems and methods of the presentinvention. NIST and NERC provide standards for encryption of data,market data is provided by rules according to those standards. Datagenerated in the systems and methods of the present invention forautomated financial settlements associated with the grid elementparticipation, due to the increased accuracy and timeliness of the data,are preferably provided with secure messaging and access consistent withthe standards for NIST and NERC, which are incorporated herein byreference in their entirety (including the version published as of thedate of the filing of the present invention). Preferably, this data issecured and access is provided to market participants on a subscriptionbasis, provided that they agree to all security and data usagerequirements associated with market rules and privacy rules and/or lawsgoverning the electrical grid and/or energy markets. If regulatorybodies or market governing bodies deem the data to significantlyadvantage those who have adopted it, due to the speed and execution oftrading energy consumption, forecasting and projection, then the marketpurchases subscription access. By way of example, security is providedin at least one form, such as VERISIGN and PAYPAL certificates providedto ensure secure financial transactions; group keys, dynamic keys,certificates, VPNs, etc. used with the communications of financialsettlement messaging according to the systems and methods of the presentinvention. Verisign authentication, and functionally similar securityservices associated with electronic communications of financialsettlement, which are incorporated herein by reference herein, includesSSL (secure socket layer), PKI (public key infrastructure), VerisignTrust Seal, and Verisign Identity Protection (VIP) services are owned bySymantec.

Price is determined by SCED, which runs about every minute or so, whichtakes current grid conditions, and runs a multi-variable algorithm(non-linear program) to determine constraints and prices, determineswhat Gens should do; feeds EMS all the generators. Every ISO has aunique SCED, because based upon topology, and every grid is unique.Generators at different resource nodes, generation tie lines, wires,losses, etc. the grid looks different, number of meters and analogpoints, etc. The foundation algorithm is similar for each ISO. Inputsand initial conditions and develops an output; SCED is a marketmanagement system, to include topology (particularly of generators,based on ICCP signals), and SE, to determine the least cost generatorplan for the whole system. Based upon verifiable costs of individualunits, constraints, etc. ISOs each have it all, but not shared betweenor among ISOs.

State estimator (SE) products provide standardized power equations, takeall inputs and conditions of the grid at one time, provides measurementequivalents, special protection schemes, and dynamic ratings, and run itevery 6 seconds. It uses the latest value available, not based uponevery message arriving at the same time; it is not possible for everymessage to arrive at the same time. Updated dynamic load forecast isbased upon learning algorithm by ISO, a neuro-net program; thefoundation is IEEE-based, but each ISO is different. State estimatoroutput is the input to SCED. Network application that sits on EMS;results set are communicated to SCED for providing a market managementsystem.

Distributed energy resources (DER) that are not attached at thedistribution level is not subject to SCED. DER is recipient of pricinginformation, so DER makes decisions about pricing at the hub level,distribution level, or interconnection substation. So the electrical busor substation, which always has an LMP, is settled at the load zone orhub, which are defined by ISO, based on aggregate of generation for thatterritory. Load zone is weighted average of LMP for that time period forthat zone. Hub is weighted average of resource nodes for that timeperiod for that zone. That information is communicated into SCED or anyother EMS, so that it knows resource availability, so then everyattachment point could be a resource node. Also, that information iscommunicated into State Estimator (SE), but importantly, there is no SEfor the distribution grid. Transmission grid is mostly ring bus withredundancy. SE provides information about how to keep it stable, whichis possible because it is a ring. The distribution grid (DG) providesradial lines that drop to zero; so the prior art does not provide forhow to create SE for distribution grid reliably. The present inventionprovides packet communication to create SE, for a solution set, whereequations converge to a point. DG will converge off of iterations orassumptions, although it is difficult to correlate DG. Problems exist inthe prior art with confidence levels for keeping the grid stable at thetransmission level. The present invention provides for communicationsand controls to aggregate information and grid functionality to hub orzone arrangements, which function for solving SCED at the zone, becausethe zone forms a ring, which can use the SE with reasonable confidencethat the outputs are reliable (at least 95%). Therefore, the presentinvention IP packet communications provide for pricing at nearest loadzone, for clearing power at attachment points. Improving grid stabilityoccurs when DG is used, but it is not predictable with absolutecertainty. This is why DG is not in SCED, because it is not modeled inSE; so then the modeling must be at attachment points for grid elementsthat function for distributed generation. DG modeling at transmissiongrid according to the present invention would provide for load zoneprice or no price if only at DG for settlement at market prices. If fastacting frequency support is required and provided, then paid a premiumat market prices for that day, which compensates higher amounts forbeing more responsive in providing power via Distributed EnergyResources (DER). The premium is provided on capacity payment, beingavailable quickly for a period of time, which provides a generationpremium. SCED applies to price on the transmission grid, i.e., pricethrough ICCP because SCED feeds EMS all set points and prices, EMS addsquality codes, etc., and sends out ICCP. Auto-dispatch of DER isprovided automatically by the systems and methods of the presentinvention if the DER is online, and communicating in the IP packets ofthe present invention, and if least next cost price for generation, thenit is possible to clear at market pricing based upon SE/SCED. There, theprice is independent of the resources cost; SCED, no matter what priceof generation, it provides the clearing price based upon marketconstraints; if generation has a verifiable cost greater than the price,then in settlements, where generation does not receive a loss, then thegeneration will be paid more than its costs, and the subsidy comes fromthe load.

As set forth hereinabove, the prior art includes estimations and networkmodels that are used to approximate the electric power flows in thegrid, particularly the transmission, distribution system and losses ator approximate to the attachment points of loads; however, the presentinvention includes estimations, network models, and, significantly,real-time measurement of actual participation by each of the gridelements, and the losses associated with transmission, distribution, andresource nodes, versus estimations. By way of example and notlimitation, the present invention provides for kilowatt packet basedsettlement, including power supply value (PSV) factors and, whereappropriate or required, including aggregation of supply and/or loadcurtailment as supply activities by a multiplicity of grid elementsand/or entities to provide a power trading block (PTB) or minimum amountrequired for settlement. Thus, the estimations and approximations arereplaced with actual data captured under the present invention systemsand methods; therefore the efficiency of the electrical power gridsettlement and functionality, because increased capacity so thatadditional resources utilize existing infrastructure to its fullestextent without incurring redesign or new construction to expand capacityof the grid distribution and transmission. Furthermore, because the newart contains an active coordinator which when in combination withprocessing and database elements allow for the decision making andultimately pricing and resource nodes to be defined further down in thedistribution system and closest to the end consumer, ultimatelyimproving the operations and efficiency of the grid, maximizingtransmission and distribution capacity and most importantly saving theconsumer money or its equivalents for compensation. It also facilitatesthe participation of the same consumers who possess distributed energyor curtailment technologies to participate in the market and respond tomarket pricing conditions to improve the supply and grid stability.

By contrast to the prior art, embodiments of the present inventionpreferably provide for real-time data to be used to inject or transformlegacy grid elements that further improve grid operations andfunctionality for distribution of electric power in the grid. Clearingand monetizing the increased capacity is another benefit of the presentinvention systems and methods, which provides that increased capacity ismeasured and settled.

In one embodiment of the present invention, metering for settlements andbilling is preferably provided with the advanced communications vianetwork, preferably IP-based communication for grid elements through thecoordinator to allow participation in the electric power grid by gridelements for supplying, providing curtailment as supply, and/orconsuming power or usage and financial settlement that allows customersto provide supply, curtailment as supply, and/or consume power beyondtheir committed base rate or anticipated rate in response torequirements of the grid (for increased supply, for grid stability,etc.) that are communicated or projected by EMS. This allows the gridoperator and/or market participant with the ability to activate supplyfrom any source and provide for financial settlement therefor includingconsideration for the cost of the infrastructure and transit commits, ifany, capacity, grid stability, and combinations thereof. This providesan alternative to either capped ports with fixed billing or actual datatransferred, which are models more frequently seen in the prior artelectric grid settlements, where occasional usage “bursting” is eithernot allowed or penalized with higher bills, either of which penalizesthe customers. In preferred embodiments of the present invention,systems and methods provide for advanced financial settlements for gridelement participation, including data communication through thecoordinator and/or translator to interact with legacy systems, asneeded, and to interact with the grid elements and/or their controllingowner through network-based IP communication of actual participationwith supply, curtailment as supply, and/or consumption or usage of power(demand), wherein the data rate sampling of activity for participationand corresponding settlements are provided on a less-than-15-minuteinterval, preferably less than 10 minutes, and more preferably less than5 minutes. Exemplary data sampling techniques are provided in unrelatedart, such as for 95^(th) percentile metering, with such techniques asset forth in the article entitled “95^(th) percentile bandwidth meteringexplained and analyzed,” (written by Dylan Vanderhoof, dated Apr. 4,2011) for datacenter bandwidth metering as described in the articlebeing incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

By contrast to the settlement systems and methods of the presentinvention, OASIS is an example of prior art that reserves capacity ontransmission subsystems at boundaries where transmission control betweentwo grid operators intersect. OASIS “tags” transmission capacity atthese boundaries; only providing that information at boundaries, notablybecause the utility or grid operator owns or controls the lines withinthe boundaries. New developments in the FERC regulated transmissionsubsystems allowing for the private ownership of transmission lines thatalso regulated by tariff and by FERC also must present capacityinformation to industry accepted market information subsystems at theboundaries. Without actual loss information as present art provides, thelikelihood that consumers (loads) are overpaying for inefficiencies ofthe “wires” can reach as high as 50% in some estimates of the industry.If the information and transformation of grid elements provided by thedescribed art provides more capacity for the “wires” utility or gridoperator, the transmission distribution service provider (TDSP) can sellmore electricity at higher rates if real-time measured data is availableand used for settlement, rather than merely extending to all consumers,as a percentage and/or flat fee charge in addition to usage-based,rate-based charges. There is otherwise no incentive for utilities/TDSPswho are rate-based to improve the efficiency of the electric grid fordistribution and transmission within their boundaries. The present artteaches away from legacy methods by necessity. Without the present art,long term costs of power for end-consumers will dramatically increase asworld-wide power consumption is projected to double in the next 20 yearswhile capacity within the networks of most utilities is not beingreplaced and new transmission subsystems are not keeping pace withdemand. Public Policy and FERC have recognized these facts hence theissuance of the aforementioned FERC orders, with more to come, andprojections from the NERC Long Term Reliability Assessment reportprojecting capacity margins declining in most RTOs, utility serviceareas and other geodetic references.

The coordinator within the systems and methods of the present inventionprovides for settlement for grid element(s) participation in theelectric power grid by energy and communications routing through andwith the existing settlement infrastructure for the electric power grid.The systems and methods further include at least one translator orconverter to work within the legacy systems, ISO, market participants,etc. for the electric power grid for importing and exporting data andinformation relating to settlement. This data is integratedautomatically by the systems and methods of the present invention at thetranslator or converter so that the data associated with the gridelement(s) participation in supply or demand curtailment as supply, orload (power consumption), and translate the data for use in automatedreal-time settlement. Preferably, the automated real-time settlementincludes actual, measured data for each of the grid elements,transformed into kilowatt packet (KWP) units. Also, preferably, KWPs arefurther combined with power supply value (PSV), and aggregated to form aminimum power trading block (PTB), and combinations, as required foroptimized and maximized settlement values for load and for generation,respectively, i.e., power consumers are charged accurately for actualpower consumed, and generation supply providers are paid maximally fortheir participation (availability for supply and/or actual supply), dueto the improved data accuracy, and improved data availability (more dataand/or continuous data supply, or anything improved over the standard,which is about 15 minute intervals). Preferably, financial settlementfor each of the grid elements is provided by systems and methods of thepresent invention for participation by grid elements in real-time orless than 15 minute interval data-time.

The present invention provides automated advanced settlements forIP-based active power management (load and supply) systems having activegrid elements, which have predetermined functionality within theelectric power grid, and are addressable with IP-based messaging withinthe communications network by an active load director (ALD) and/orCoordinator wherein the messaging occurs over communication networks,such as the Internet. The present invention improves and expands uponprior art systems and methods, including U.S. Pat. No. 5,560,022 issuedSep. 24, 1996, filed Jul. 19, 1994 by inventors Dunstand, et al., andassigned on the face of the document to Intel Corporation, for Powermanagement coordinator system and interface, which is, including itsspecification and figures, incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety.

The following U.S. Patent Applications, each invented by Joseph W.Forbes, Jr., are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety:application Ser. No. 13/463,761 filed May 3, 2012 (Pub. No.2012/0221162); application Ser. No. 13/463,781 filed May 3, 2012 (Pub.No. 2012/0239218); application Ser. No. 13/464,665 filed May 4, 2012(Pub. No. 2012/0221163); application Ser. No. 13/466,725 filed May 8,2012 (Pub. No. 2012/0239219); application Ser. No. 13/471,589 filed May15, 2012 (Pub. No. 2012/0226384); application Ser. No. 13/471,575 filedMay 15, 2012 (Pub No. 2012/0245753); application Ser. No. 13/528,596filed Jun. 20, 2012 (Pub. No. 2013/0345888); application Ser. No.13/549,429 filed Jul. 14, 2012 (Pub. No. 2014/0018969); application Ser.No. 13/563,535 filed Jul. 31, 2012 (Pub. No. 2014/0039699); andapplication Ser. No. 13/659,564 filed Oct. 24, 2012 (Pub. No.2014/0114844). These applications provide detailed descriptions of thesystems, methods, and apparatus embodiments relating to activemanagement of electric power grids and their corresponding supply anddemand components. By way of example, Active Supply Director (ASD) andActive Supply Client or Element (ASC) provide for the correspondingmanagement of electric power available or actually supplied to theelectric power grid, whether by Generation Source Supply (GSS) elementsor by Storage Source Supply (SSS), including battery or fuel cell, orcompressed air, stored water, or any subsystem that includes a potentialfor discharging electricity as stored energy to the electric power grid,available for discharge or actually discharged into the grid. In anycase, whether electric power supply for the grid is provided bygeneration or load curtailment, the supply is evaluated and rated byPower Supply Value (PSV) and Power Trade Block (PTB), which indicatesthe amount of power, including aggregated amounts acceptable forsettlement by the grid, which are communicated by the active gridelements through the Coordinator and then to an energy managementclearinghouse for settlement based upon PSV, PTB, and market factorsassociated with and communicated by the active grid elements and timing,duration, quality, type of event (for supply and/or demand response)within the electric power system energy management to the coordinator.Preferably, all information required for settlement is communicatedwithin the systems and methods and by apparatus embodiments of thepresent invention, automatically and/or autonomously and preferably withIP-based messaging via the network; this information is routed by atleast one coordinator and stored in memory in a database that isaccessible by the energy management clearinghouse.

Each active grid element associated with supplying power and/orproviding load curtailment within the electric power grid, includes withits attributes at least one Power Supply Value (PSV) associated with itsactivity and function within the grid. Power Supply Value (PSV) isestimated, modeled, measured, and/or determined or calculated at themeter or submeter, building control system, supply source, or at anydevice or controller that measures electric power within the standard assupplied by the regulatory body(ies) that govern the regulation of thegrid. PSV depends on operating tolerances, operating standard foraccuracy of the measurement. Notably, the PSV provides a uniform,systematic unit for addressing the power curtailment or power supplythat is responsive to an energy management system (EMS) or equivalentfor providing grid stability, reliability, frequency as determined bygoverning authority, grid operator, market participant, utility, and/orregulations applicable to the electric power grid operations. The PSVenables transformation of curtailment or reduction in power, in additionto the introduction of power supply to the grid, at the device level byany system, apparatus, and/or device that sends or receives an IPmessage to be related to or equated to supply as presented to thegoverning entity that accepts these values and award supply equivalence.PSV is provided in units of electrical power units, flow, monetaryequivalent, and combinations thereof. The PSV and/or PTB addresses thelongstanding unmet need within the electric power management systems fora consistent or standard unit(s) that provide for blocks or bundles ofenergy are introduced, aggregated, and settled; the prior art nowhereteaches or discloses these functional units. Thus, the present inventionincludes a PSV that provides a unit for measuring and settling for eachactive grid element the power available for/introduced to the electricpower grid and/or the curtailment power available (consistent with FERCorders 745, 750, 755 all published in 2011, which are incorporatedherein by reference in their entirety) as a requirement for providingsupply to the power grid, and, particularly wherein the supply to thepower grid is provided for grid stability, voltage stability,reliability, and combinations thereof. Notably, “high performancereserves” from FERC order 755 covers for “deadband”, i.e., the timebetween receipt of reg-up/reg-down, recognition of that order, andresponse to impact on the grid, which is about 5 minutes for highperformance reserves, which are faster for supply than the traditionalutilities.

PSV is preferably settled as traditional power delivery or curtailmentsystems at the nearest interconnection point, Location Marginal Price(LMP), node, transmission interconnection, balancing authority, utilityservice area, retail electric provider service area, ISO, state, andcombinations thereof, i.e., settlement is available at the point ofdelivery and/or acceptance (or attachment point), and is facilitated byALC, ASC, Coordinator, metering device, smart meter, sub-meter, andcombinations thereof, or any revenue grade device accepted by thegoverning authority to determine PSV and/or settlement for each activegrid element. Also preferably, PSV includes consideration for linelosses proximal to those devices and/or grid elements, if not throughreal-time metrics then through modeling and/or estimation. Furthermore,regarding PSV and other metrics, where no real-time metrics forverification and settlement exist, modeling is used. Preferably,analytics is used in connection with the present invention for modeling,estimation, optimization, and combinations, such as those analyticstaught by U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,180,622, 8,170,856, 8,165,723, 8,155,943,8,155,908, 8,131,401, 8,126,685, 8,036,872, 7,826,990, 7,844,439,7,840,395, 7,729,808, 7,840,396, 7,844,440, 7,693,608, and US PatentPublication Nos. 2007/0239373, 2008/0262820, 2008/0263469, 2009/0076749,2009/0083019, 2009/0105998, 2009/0113049, 2010/0023309, 2010/0049494,2010/0168931, 2010/0268396, 2011/0082596, 2011/0082597, all of which areincorporated herein by reference in their entirety.

FIG. 32 is a schematic diagram of an embodiment of the inventionillustrating a computer system, generally described as 800, having anetwork 810 and a plurality of computing devices 820, 830, 840. In oneembodiment of the invention, the computer system 800 includes acloud-based network 810 for distributed communication via the network'swireless communication antenna 812 and processing by a plurality ofmobile communication computing devices 830. In another embodiment of theinvention, the computer system 800 is a virtualized computing systemcapable of executing any or all aspects of software and/or applicationcomponents presented herein on the computing devices 820, 830, 840. Incertain aspects, the computer system 800 is implemented using hardwareor a combination of software and hardware, either in a dedicatedcomputing device, or integrated into another entity, or distributedacross multiple entities or computing devices.

By way of example, and not limitation, the computing devices 820, 830,840 are intended to represent various forms of digital devices 820, 840,850 and mobile devices 830, such as a server, blade server, mainframe,mobile phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), a smart phone, adesktop computer, a netbook computer, a tablet computer, a workstation,a laptop, and other similar computing devices. The components shownhere, their connections and relationships, and their functions, aremeant to be exemplary only, and are not meant to limit implementationsof the invention described and/or claimed in this document.

In one embodiment, the computing device 820 includes components such asa processor 860, a system memory 862 having a random access memory (RAM)864 and a read-only memory (ROM) 866, and a system bus 868 that couplesthe memory 862 to the processor 860. In another embodiment, thecomputing device 830 additionally includes components such as a storagedevice 890 for storing the operating system 892 and one or moreapplication programs 894, a network interface unit 896, and/or aninput/output controller 898. Each of the components is able to becoupled to each other through at least one bus 868. The input/outputcontroller 898 is able to receive and process input from, or provideoutput to, a number of other devices 899, including, but not limited to,alphanumeric input devices, mice, electronic styluses, display units,touch screens, signal generation devices (e.g., speakers) or printers.

By way of example, and not limitation, in one embodiment, the processor860 is a general-purpose microprocessor (e.g., a central processing unit(CPU)), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a microcontroller, a DigitalSignal Processor (DSP), an Application Specific Integrated Circuit(ASIC), a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA), a Programmable LogicDevice (PLD), a controller, a state machine, gated or transistor logic,discrete hardware components, or any other suitable entity orcombinations thereof that can perform calculations, process instructionsfor execution, and/or other manipulations of information.

In another implementation, shown in FIG. 32, a computing device 840 usesmultiple processors 860 and/or multiple buses 868, as appropriate, alongwith multiple memories 862 of multiple types (e.g., a combination of aDSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or moremicroprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core).

Also, multiple computing devices are able to be connected, with eachdevice providing portions of the necessary operations (e.g., a serverbank, a group of blade servers, or a multi-processor system).Alternatively, some steps or methods are performed by circuitry that isspecific to a given function.

According to various embodiments, the computer system 800 operatex in anetworked environment using logical connections to local and/or remotecomputing devices 820, 830, 840, 850 through a network 810. A computingdevice 830 connects to a network 810 through a network interface unit896 connected to the bus 868. Computing devices communicatecommunication media through wired networks, direct-wired connections orwirelessly such as acoustic, RF or infrared through a wirelesscommunication antenna 897 in communication with the network's wirelesscommunication antenna 812 and the network interface unit 896, whichinclude digital signal processing circuitry when necessary. The networkinterface unit 896 provides for communications under various modes orprotocols.

In one or more exemplary aspects, the instructions are implemented inhardware, software, firmware, or any combinations thereof. A computerreadable medium provides volatile or non-volatile storage for one ormore sets of instructions, such as operating systems, data structures,program modules, applications or other data embodying any one or more ofthe methodologies or functions described herein. The computer readablemedium includes the memory 862, the processor 860, and/or the storagedevice 890 and is a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralizedor distributed computer system) that store the one or more sets ofinstructions 900. Non-transitory computer readable media includes allcomputer readable media, with the sole exception being a transitory,propagating signal per se. The instructions 900 are further transmittedor received over the network 810 via the network interface unit 896 ascommunication media, which includes a modulated data signal such as acarrier wave or other transport mechanism and includes any deliverymedia. The term “modulated data signal” means a signal that has one ormore of its characteristics changed or set in a manner as to encodeinformation in the signal.

Storage devices 890 and memory 862 include, but are not limited to,volatile and non-volatile media such as cache, RAM, ROM, EPROM, EEPROM,FLASH memory or other solid state memory technology, disks or discs(e.g., digital versatile disks (DVD), HD-DVD, BLU-RAY, compact disc(CD), CD-ROM, floppy disc) or other optical storage, magnetic cassettes,magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices,or any other medium that can be used to store the computer readableinstructions and which can be accessed by the computer system 800.

It is also contemplated that the computer system 800 is able to notinclude all of the components shown in FIG. 32, is able to include othercomponents that are not explicitly shown in FIG. 32, and is able toutilize an architecture completely different than that shown in FIG. 32.The various illustrative logical blocks, modules, elements, circuits,and algorithms described in connection with the embodiments disclosedherein are implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, orcombinations of both. To clearly illustrate this interchangeability ofhardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules,circuits, and steps have been described above generally in terms oftheir functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented ashardware or software depends upon the particular application and designconstraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans implementthe described functionality in varying ways for each particularapplication (e.g., arranged in a different order or partitioned in adifferent way), but such implementation decisions should not beinterpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the presentinvention.

Also, in this document, relational terms, such as “first” and “second,”“top” and “bottom,” and the like, are used solely to distinguish oneentity or element from another entity or element without necessarilyrequiring or implying any physical or logical relationship or orderbetween such entities or elements. The terms “comprises,” “comprising,”or any other variation thereof are intended to cover a non-exclusiveinclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus thatcomprises a list of elements does not include only those elements, butinclude other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process,method, article, or apparatus. The term “plurality of” as used inconnection with any object or action means two or more of such object oraction. A claim element proceeded by the article “a” or “an” does not,without more constraints, preclude the existence of additional identicalelements in the process, method, article, or apparatus that includes theelement.

By way of definition and description supporting the claimed subjectmatter, preferably, the present invention includes communicationmethodologies for messaging via a communication layer. IP-basedcommunications over a network are most preferred. Correspondingly, andconsistent with the communication methodologies for messaging accordingto the present invention, as used throughout this specification, figuresand claims, the term ZIGBEE refers to any wireless communicationprotocol adopted by the Institute of Electronics & Electrical Engineers(IEEE) according to standard 802.15.4 or any successor standard(s), theterm WI-FI refers to any communication protocol adopted by the IEEEunder standard 802.11 or any successor standard(s), the term WIMAXrefers to any communication protocol adopted by the IEEE under standard802.16 or any successor standard(s), and the term BLUETOOTH refers toany short-range communication protocol implementing IEEE standard802.15.1 or any successor standard(s). Additionally or alternatively toWIMAX, other communications protocols are able to be used, including butnot limited to a “1G” wireless protocol such as analog wirelesstransmission, first generation standards based (IEEE, ITU or otherrecognized world communications standard), a “2G” standards basedprotocol such as “EDGE” or “CDMA 2000” also known as “1XRTT”, a 3G basedstandard such as “High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) or Evolution for DataOnly (EVDO), any accepted 4G standard such as IEEE, ITU standards thatinclude WIMAX, Long Term Evolution “LTE” and its derivative standards,any Ethernet solution wireless or wired, or any proprietary wireless orpower line carrier standards that communicate to a client device or anycontrollable device that sends and receives an IP-based message. Theterm “High Speed Packet Data Access (HSPA)” refers to any communicationprotocol adopted by the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) oranother mobile telecommunications standards body referring to theevolution of the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) standardbeyond its third generation Universal Mobile Telecommunications System(UMTS) protocols. The term “Long Term Evolution (LTE)” refers to anycommunication protocol adopted by the ITU or another mobiletelecommunications standards body referring to the evolution ofGSM-based networks to voice, video and data standards anticipated to bereplacement protocols for HSPA. The term “Code Division Multiple Access(CDMA) Evolution Date-Optimized (EVDO) Revision A (CDMA EVDO Rev. A)”refers to the communication protocol adopted by the ITU under standardnumber TIA-856 Rev. A.

It will be appreciated that embodiments of the invention describedherein are comprised of one or more conventional processors and uniquestored program instructions that control the one or more processors toimplement, in conjunction with certain non-processor circuits, some,most, or all of the functions for managing power load distribution andtracking individual subscriber power consumption and savings in one ormore power load management systems as described herein. Thenon-processor circuits include, but are not limited to, radio receivers,radio transmitters, antennas, modems, signal drivers, clock circuits,power source circuits, relays, meters, smart breakers, current sensors,and user input devices. As such, these functions are interpreted assteps of a method to distribute information and control signals betweendevices in a power load management system. Alternatively, some or allfunctions could be implemented by a state machine that has no storedprogram instructions, or in one or more application specific integratedcircuits (ASICs), in which each function or some combinations offunctions are implemented as custom logic. Of course, a combination ofthe two approaches could be used. Thus, methods and means for thesefunctions have been described herein. Further, it is expected that oneof ordinary skill in the art, notwithstanding possibly significanteffort and many design choices motivated by, for example, availabletime, current technology, and economic considerations, when guided bythe concepts and principles disclosed herein, will be readily capable ofgenerating such software instructions, programs and integrated circuits(ICs), and appropriately arranging and functionally integrating suchnon-processor circuits, without undue experimentation.

Recently, the IEEE and ITU have released improved WIMAX and Long TermEvolution wireless standards that have facilitated the consideration ofnew technologies to improve the response and control of power loadcontrol devices employing smart breaker and smart disconnect switchesthat include advanced smart meters where IP multimedia gateways areembedded or attach as separate connected printed circuit boards, andsubmetering technologies that possess sufficient “revenue grade”metrology such that the measurements provided by these devices areaccepted for settlement purposes. The term “revenue grade” is anindustry term, as will be appreciated by one of ordinary skill in theart, a percentage of accuracy determined by ANSI, which means that powermeasurement must be within ½% of the actual value being consumed. Thus,calibration standards are provided accordingly to OEMs of powermeasuring devices and/or chips. In embodiments of the systems andmethods of the present invention, these calibration standards are metvia components, including a chipset and related software, and thetransmittal of the power measurement information via IP-basedcommunications as set forth hereinabove. Baselining techniques thatprovide a reference power usage point, sampling techniques that allowfor verification of the power “state” and power consumption data forelectricity consuming devices (inductive or resistive), reactive power,Power Factor, start-up current, duty cycles, voltage, consumptionforecasts and most importantly real-time or near real-time powermeasurement sampling, etc., are required to derive a Power Supply Value(PSV) that includes an American National Standards Institute (ANSI),ISO, grid operator, governing body revenue measurement, etc., which ispreferably aggregated to reach the size of at least a single Power TradeBlock (PTB) unit for the purposes of optimally monetizing the activeload management from the customer perspective. PTBs are dependent on agrid operator, regional transmission operator, or independent systemoperator to determine the capacity size (in kW or MW) or energy data in(kWH or MWH) that can be accepted for bidding, trading, settlement bythe utility, the end consumer/customer, the market participant, the CSP,demand response aggregator or any entity authorized by the governmententity that regulates grid operators such as FERC, NERC etc. Generallydue to measurement, verification, transmission and/or distributionmodeling (which considers the impact to the grid from the curtailmentactivities at any geodetic location on the grid, but generally modeledby electrical bus or substation), the minimum acceptable PTB is 100 kWat the time of the present invention. This limitation is not expected tobe permanent, given these advancements in measurement/verification, thenear real time or real time IP/Ethernet based telemetry capabilitiespresented by a plurality of various communications methods as discussedin this embodiment and the advancements in service oriented architecturebased (SOA) software and hardware subsystems, when combined with an ALDand ALC that can perform at a sublevel such that the minimum PTB can bedetermined at the device, home, building, service point, commercial,industrial, transformer, feeder, substation, transmission line and anysub-point along the transmission and distribution feeder system of anelectrical grid as so long as minimum telemetry, measurement,verifications, validation are met and are capable of being aggregated toa minimum PTB acceptable to the grid operator, ISO, RTO, BA or any otherincrement of grid topography used now or in the future for settlingpower block increments by sub-PTB.

Embodiments of the present invention expand upon and enhance priortechnologies by, among other things, employing WIMAX, High Speed PacketAccess (HSPA), Evolution for Data Only (EVDO), both considered 3^(rd)generation wireless standards, Long Term Evolution (LTE), considered atthe time of the invention as a “4G” standard and its derivativestandards that are most assuredly to be introduced during the life ofthis invention, IEEE 802.11 (X) also known as WI-FI and its derivativestandards inclusive of “Multiple Input Multiple Output” (MIMO), as setforth in the communication methodologies hereinabove, a plurality ofproprietary mesh and point to point communications solutions or anyInternet Protocol (IP)-based load control in a system with the abilityto monitor and measure, in real time or in sufficient time increments tosatisfy the telemetry performance standards as established by theGovernment or governing bodies (e.g., National Electric ReliabilityCorporation (NERC), Federal Energy Reliability Commission (FERC)) theamount of power deferred, conserved or removed (or carbon, SO₂, or NO₂eliminated), such as, by way of example, the Kyoto or CopenhagenProtocols that set up carbon credits. These improvements allow newoptions for electric utilities or any market participant to defer orinvest in new power generation that is friendlier to the environment.

The present invention provides for mobile devices used for updating thePSV, meters, etc., which are also used by consumers and businesses forreal-time review of financial information on their respective accounts,and for making changes to profiles, settings, and preferences.

Pass-through individual coordinators, or linked coordinators, which areconnected and feed into one or more databases, preferably consider allattributes for curtailment, supply, profiles, price, etc. andcombinations for the grid elements that communicate with thecoordinators. TDSP subsystems provides for master SCADA information,market (ISO or vertically integrated) information, which arecommunicated with the EMS. Preferably, all systems are linked togetherwith SOA, with a communications network for sharing data, information,etc., preferably Ethernet, according to the present invention. The ISOand TDSP produce the information for the market, which is communicatedvia network to the coordinator(s). The EMS has ICCP associated with thebus; and the ISO provides for grid stability, pricing, etc. The TDSPprovides for grid health, losses (reported at the electrical bus). Theinvention provides for financial settlement generating transactions atany grid element attachment point, as well as, and including theresource settlement nodes. ALD, ASD, and/or coordinator(s) communicatewith the grid elements associated with supply or generation for thegrid, and are all connected, both in electric power grid transmissionand communication network connection, to a resource node. Grid elementsfurther include (but are not limited to) transmission, transformers, endpoints, smart meters, attachment points, and combinations. Preferably,all grid elements have geodetic references associated with them. Thetransaction for financial settlement for grid elements occurs at thesupplier and/or consumer points of connection to the grid. Settlement atthe grid elements, in any location associated with grid elementparticipation in the grid, is provided by the present invention.

Outside the electrical bus or substation within the electric power grid,the financial transaction subsystem provides information between thesubsystems and from the electrical bus to the market. Since the presentinvention's settlement processor provides for clearing of financialsettlement data at or less than 15 minute increments, at 15 minuteintervals or increments, with better and more accurate data than withany prior art systems, customers (or owners of the grid elementsparticipating in the electric power grid) clear the market with the bestprice for power supplied to the grid and also pay less for energyconsumed (demand) from the grid supply. This occurs becauseinefficiencies are factored out or reduced in terms of allocation tothose grid elements, control generation, control usage/consumption, makeinformed decisions about participation, or based upon profiles,automatically participate. All information automatically clears andsettles, i.e., the systems and methods of the present inventionautomatically provide a financial settlement for each active gridelement for its participation in the electric power grid, to the gridelement owner, with communications through the coordinator and withsettlement through the settlement processor as described herein andillustrated in FIG. 31.

Thus the present invention provides solutions for the longstanding,unmet needs of participating grid element owners to supply empiricaldata relating to their participation that directly evidences thespecific losses, if any, that are directly related to theirparticipation.

The present invention further provides for aggregation of transformeddata from a multiplicity of grid elements; in particular, transformeddata associated with grid elements providing electric power to the gridas supply or curtailed load as supply are aggregated until at least onepower trade block (PTB) unit of energy is represented by the transformeddata (for example for settlement grade data content for financialsettlement of the grid elements' participation in the electric powergrid). Also, aggregation of transformed data including power supplyvalue (PSV) for the participation of the grid elements is provided.Importantly, the PSV is an actual value that includes measurement andverification of the reduction in consumed power; such measurement andverification methods are determined by the appropriate governing body orauthority for the electric power grid(s). Power Supply Value (PSV) iscalculated at the meter or sub-meter, building control system, or anyactive grid element that measures power supplied or consumed within thestandard as supplied by the regulatory body(ies) that govern theregulation of the grid. PSV variations depend on operating tolerances,including operating standards for accuracy of the measurement. The PSVenables transformation of curtailment or reduction in power, powersupplied, and/or power consumed at the active grid element level by anysystem that sends or receives an IP message to be related to or equatedto supply as presented to the governing entity that accepts these valuesand awards supply equivalence (e.g., for example of a power generatingentity or an entity allowed to control active grid elements and theirparticipation on the electric power grid such as power consuming devicesas permitted by the governing body of the electric power grid, e.g.,FERC, NERC, etc.). PSV associated with active grid elements and theirparticipation within the electric power grid are provided in units ofelectrical power flow, monetary equivalent, and/or combinations thereof.Thus, the PSV provides an actual value that is confirmed by measurementand/or verification, thereby providing for supply and/or curtailmentvalue(s) as a requirement for providing supply to the power grid,wherein the supply to the power electric power grid is provided for gridstability, voltage stability, reliability, and combinations thereof, andis further provided as responsive to an energy management system orequivalent for providing grid stability, reliability, frequency asdetermined by governing authority for the electric power grid and/orgrid operator(s).

According to the present invention, PSV for any of the active gridelements and their participation on or within the electric power gridare generated by methods including information relating to baselininghistorical load, also known as the customer baseline (CBL), estimatingbased upon curves, real-time or near-real-time value, and combinationsthereof.

Advantageously, the present invention provides active load and/or supplymanagement metrics for each of the active grid elements, including PSV,much better than merely a statistical estimate for a command as withprior art; PSV also further provides for steps of measurement andsettlement, according to the present invention. FERC requires that thesettlement credits are provided at point where settlement occurs;settlement information follows the transaction, most preferably,according to the present invention, occurring in real time or near realtime, as in financial transactions or other commodity transactions, suchas for natural gas supply. Also, preferably, there is a defined intervalthat is accepted or acceptable by the governing entity for the electricpower grid, wherein each transaction is recorded as it occurs.Furthermore, the present invention provides for IP real-timecommunications that provide for settlement of the curtailment byload-consuming devices at or approximate to the time of the transaction,i.e., the curtailment. Also, preferably, there is participation data forthe grid elements that provides supporting evidence attached with the IPreal-time communication of the acceptance of the power event, and thenautomatically recorded in a settlement database and associated with eachactive grid elements registered within the system through theCoordinator(s), and participation on the electric power grid by the gridelements that are registered with the system. Also, some informationrelated to this transaction and its settlement is transmitted to theenergy supplier and/or energy/curtailment purchaser, permitting theseller to be paid according to the PSV and/or PTB related to the powerevent, e.g., curtailment or supply event(s).

Power Trading Blocks (PTBs) are dependent upon the grid operator or ISO;there must be enough curtailment or supply for the grid operator toaccept, settle, and monetize, including individual and/or collective orselectively aggregated data for active grid elements registered with thesystem and their participation on or within the electric power grid. Atthis time, the PTB is 100 KW in most electric power grids, including aconventional utility, independent system operator, grid, or microgridoperator. Generally, the power available as operating reserves is tradedin larger amounts, PTB size, to be significant enough to beneficiallystabilize the grid and its operating reserves. At this time, theregional trading organization or geographic-specific grid andcorresponding regulations therefor, determine the PTB size, whichtypically requires the aggregation of load from a multiplicity ofconsumers, residential or commercial, to reach a minimum PTB size or PTBunit. The PTB unit, combined with the PSV, and the real-time securecommunications used with ALC/ALD function to lower the size of theminimum PTB required to form a PTB unit for grid reception andsettlement purposes. The commercial impact determines the minimum PTBsize, which corresponds to a PTB unit, due to cost and timing ofcommunication of the information related to the curtailment event(s) andresponse by the device(s), and how aggregation of load curtailment bythe multiplicity of devices is managed to ensure maximum compensation tothe customer(s) associated with the device(s) for the curtailment event,with minimum negative physical impact to those consumers and/or devicesfrom the curtailment event.

Energy consumption and/or supply patterns associated with active gridelements and their participation on the electric power grid are subjectto analysis that is used for a variety of different types of activities;this analysis provides the basis for the automatic transformation of thedata associated with the grid elements. Additional transformation isprovided by the receiving grid element, such as the coordinator. Forexample, based on the energy consumption patterns created from thisdata, the Coordinator will derive performance curves and/or datamatrices for each service point to which the active grid elements areattached and determine the amount of energy reduction that can berealized from each active grid element and its functionality within theelectric power grid. The Coordinator(s) create a list of service pointsassociated with the active grid elements and their participation on theelectric power grid through which energy consumption can be reduced viademand side management, interruptible load, or spinning/regulationreserves. This information can be manipulated by the Coordinator and/orALD processes to create a prioritized, rotational order of control,called “intelligent load rotation” which is described in detail below.This rotational shifting of the burden of the interruptible load has thepractical effect of reducing and flattening the utility load curve whileallowing the serving utility to effectively group its customers withinthe ALD or its own databases by energy efficiency.

Generally, the embodiments described encompass a closed loop system andmethod for creating a profile, calculating and deriving patterns ofenergy usage and/or supply, and making use of those patterns whenimplemented through the machinery of a system comprised of active gridelements combined with the physical communications link and when theseinputs are manipulated through a computer, processor, memory, routersand other necessary machines as those who are skilled in the art wouldexpect to be utilized.

The present invention has adequately described in great detail how theactive grid elements and their participation on the electric power gridare associated with the Coordinator and the employment of computerassisted apparatus that include, but are not limited to processors,ASICS, memory, analytics, communications interfaces and methodologies,databases, both relational, high performance “historian” databases,persistence and cache layers, metadata layers, analytics engines,monitoring and reporting active grid elements, Internet Protocol,Ethernet, carrier grade wired and wireless networks, proprietarynetworks, TDM wireless and wired networks, analog and digital telemetrysubsystems, Coordinators, Active Supply Directors and a plurality of theabove both centralized, networked together and distributed. While theprevious descriptions have been detailed in the embodiment of a FERC 745load acting as supply, one skilled in the art will correlate thosefunctions previously described as they apply to the supply side for FERC750 and 755, including settlement. These highly decentralized networksmust be capable of operating directly under the control of anEMS/DMS/GMS or similar control solution, through a Coordinator, and foractive grid elements autonomously if they are disconnected from themacro electric grid or have voluntarily opted to disconnect themselvesfrom the electric grid temporarily or permanently. The present inventionprovides through software, hardware and advanced communicationsmethodologies the capabilities of many small Distributed ElectricResources (DER) associated with the active grid elements to perform anddeliver their energy resource directly to the electric gridinterconnected as if they were a macro resource with aggregated PSVvalues that build up to minimum PTB blocks that can be both presented,operated and monetized by a Market Participant, REP, Utility, IPP, aCompany acting as their own energy agent or a plurality of all of theabove.

It should be noted that many terms and acronyms are used in thisdescription that are well-defined in the telecommunications and/orcomputer networking industries and are well understood by personsskilled in these arts, and in electric power management arts. Completedescriptions of these terms and acronyms, whether defining atelecommunications standard or protocol, can be found in readilyavailable telecommunications standards and literature and are notdescribed in more detail herein.

It will be appreciated that embodiments or components of the systemsdescribed herein are comprised of one or more conventional processorsand unique stored program instructions that control the one or moreprocessors to implement, in conjunction with certain non-processorcircuits, some, most, or all of the functions for managing power loadand/or supply distribution, and tracking and controlling individualsubscriber power consumption and savings, and power supply in one ormore power load and/or supply management systems. The non-processorcircuits include, but are not limited to, radio receivers, radiotransmitters, antennas, modems, signal drivers, clock circuits, powersource circuits, relays, meters, sub-meters, smart breakers, currentsensors, and customer input devices. As such, these functions areinterpreted as steps of a method to distribute information and controlsignals between devices in a power load and/or supply management system.Alternatively, some or all functions could be implemented by a statemachine that has no stored program instructions, or in one or moreapplication specific integrated circuits (ASICs), in which each functionor some combinations of functions are implemented as custom logic. Ofcourse, a combination of the two approaches could be used. Thus, methodsand means for these functions have been described herein. Further, it isexpected that one of ordinary skill in the art, notwithstanding possiblysignificant effort and many design choices motivated by, for example,available time, current technology, and economic considerations, whenguided by the concepts and principles disclosed herein, will be readilycapable of generating such software instructions, programs andintegrated circuits (ICs), and appropriately arranging and functionallyintegrating such non-processor circuits, without undue experimentation.

In the foregoing specification, the present invention has been describedwith reference to specific embodiments. However, one of ordinary skillin the art will appreciate that various modifications and changes aremade without departing from the spirit and scope of the presentinvention as set forth in the appended claims. For example, the presentinvention is applicable for managing the distribution of power fromutility companies to subscribing customers using any number of IP-basedor other communication methods. Additionally, the functions of specificmodules within the server and/or active grid elements are performed byone or more equivalent means. Accordingly, the specification anddrawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictivesense, and all such modifications are intended to be included within thescope of the present invention.

Benefits, other advantages, and solutions to problems have beendescribed above with regard to specific embodiments of the presentinvention. However, the benefits, advantages, solutions to problems, andany active grid elements that cause or result in such benefits,advantages, or solutions to become more pronounced are not to beconstrued as a critical, required, or essential feature or element ofany or all the claims. The invention is defined solely by the appendedclaims including any amendments made during the pendency of thisapplication and all equivalents of those claims as issued.

Certain modifications and improvements will occur to those skilled inthe art upon a reading of the foregoing description. The above-mentionedexamples are provided to serve the purpose of clarifying the aspects ofthe invention and it will be apparent to one skilled in the art thatthey do not serve to limit the scope of the invention. All modificationsand improvements have been deleted herein for the sake of concisenessand readability but are properly within the scope of the presentinvention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A system for managing power information forgenerating operating reserves on an electric power grid, comprising: aserver constructed and configured for communicating Internet Protocol(IP)-based messages with at least one grid element and at least oneactive load client; at least one revenue grade meter or at least onerevenue grade sub-meter in communication with the least one grid elementand the server; wherein the at least one active load client is innetwork communication with the server; wherein the at least one gridelement is registered and associated with at least one customer profile;wherein, in response to a demand response event, the server transmits atleast one IP-based event message through the at least one active loadclient to the at least one grid element, wherein the at least oneIP-based event message includes at least one power control command;wherein the at least one power control command causes a reduction ofpower consumed by the at least one grid element; wherein the at leastone revenue grade meter or the at least one revenue grade sub-meterperforms measurement and verification of the reduction of power to theat least one grid element to produce raw data; wherein the raw data isstored and transmitted via Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) to anAMI Head End; wherein the AMI Head End automatically transforms the rawdata into transformed data and wherein the transformed data isautomatically sent to the server; wherein the server receives the rawdata concerning measurement and verification and wherein the serveraccepts the transformed data as settlement data based on the raw data;and wherein the at least one active load client includes at least oneprogrammable thermostat and the at least one grid element includes atleast one Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system. 2.The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one IP-based event messageincludes an amount of operating reserves to be created.
 3. The system ofclaim 1, wherein the server receives the raw data in approximately15-minute intervals.
 4. The system of claim 1, wherein the raw dataincludes at least one of metrology data, location data, one or more gridelement identifiers, at least one software version, at least onefirmware version, and/or at least one priority for each of the at leastone grid element.
 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least oneactive load client is operable to transmit an IP-based priority messageto the server.
 6. The system of claim 1, wherein the raw data istransformed into the transformed data in real-time or near real-time. 7.The system of claim 1, wherein the settlement data is used by a utilityfor energy financial settlement.
 8. The system of claim 1, wherein theoperating reserves are determined based on the measurement andverification.
 9. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one revenuegrade meter or the at least one revenue grade sub-meter transmits atleast one identification message to the server including a time stampfor the demand response event and a status of the at least one gridelement.
 10. A system for managing power information for generatingoperating reserves on an electric power grid, comprising: a demandresponse server constructed and configured for communicating InternetProtocol (IP)-based messages with at least one grid element and at leastone active load client; at least one revenue grade meter or at least onerevenue grade sub-meter in communication with the least one grid elementand the demand response server; wherein the at least one active loadclient is in network communication with the demand response server;wherein the at least one grid element is registered and associated withat least one customer profile; wherein, in response to a demand responseevent, the demand response server transmits at least one IP-based eventmessage through the at least one active load client to the at least onegrid element, wherein the at least one IP-based event message includesat least one power control command; wherein the at least one powercontrol command causes a reduction of power consumed by the at least onegrid element; wherein the at least one revenue grade meter or the atleast one revenue grade sub-meter performs measurement and verificationof the reduction of power to the at least one grid element to produceraw data; wherein the raw data is stored and transmitted via AdvancedMetering Infrastructure (AMI) to an AMI Head End; wherein the AMI HeadEnd automatically transforms the raw data into transformed data andwherein the transformed data is automatically sent to a meter datamanagement server; wherein the demand response server receives anIP-based measurement message including the raw data concerningmeasurement and verification and wherein the demand response serverreceives the transformed data from the meter data management server;wherein the at least one active load client transmits at least oneIP-based confirmation message to the demand response server verifyingthe participation of the at least one grid element in the demandresponse event; wherein the at least one active load client includes atleast one programmable thermostat and the at least one grid elementincludes at least one Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC)system; wherein a transmittal message including the raw data ofmeasurement and verification is transmitted to the demand responseserver; and wherein the demand response server accepts and stores theraw data of measurement and verification as settlement data based on theat least one IP-based confirmation message.
 11. The system of claim 10,wherein the at least one IP-based confirmation message is transmittedvia WIFI.
 12. The system of claim 10, wherein the demand response serverreceives the raw data in approximately 15-minute intervals.
 13. Thesystem of claim 10, wherein the raw data includes at least one ofmetrology data, location data, one or more grid element identifiers, atleast one software version, at least one firmware version, and/or atleast one priority for each of the at least one grid element.
 14. Thesystem of claim 10, wherein the settlement data is used by a utility forenergy financial settlement.
 15. The system of claim 10, wherein theoperating reserves are determined based on the settlement data.
 16. Thesystem of claim 10, wherein the at least one revenue grade meter or theat least one revenue grade sub-meter transmits at least oneidentification message to the demand response server including a timestamp for the demand response event and a status of the at least onegrid element.
 17. A system for managing power information for generatingoperating reserves on an electric power grid, comprising: a serverconstructed and configured for communicating Internet Protocol(IP)-based messages with at least one grid element and at least oneactive load client; at least one revenue grade meter or at least onerevenue grade sub-meter in communication with the least one grid elementand the server; wherein the at least one grid element is registered andassociated with at least one customer profile; wherein, in response to ademand response event, the server transmits at least one IP-based eventmessage through the at least one active load client to the at least onegrid element, wherein the at least one IP-based event message includesat least one power control command; wherein the at least one powercontrol command causes a reduction of power consumed by the at least onegrid element; wherein the at least one revenue grade meter or the atleast one revenue grade sub-meter transmits at least one identificationmessage to the server including a time stamp for the demand responseevent and a status of the at least one grid element; wherein the atleast one revenue grade meter or the at least one revenue gradesub-meter performs measurement and verification of the reduction ofpower consumed by the at least one grid element to produce raw data;wherein the raw data is stored and transmitted via Advanced MeteringInfrastructure (AMI) to an AMI Head End; wherein the AMI Head Endautomatically transforms the raw data into transformed data and whereinthe transformed data is automatically sent to the server; wherein theserver receives the raw data concerning measurement and verification andwherein the server accepts the transformed data as settlement data basedon the raw data; wherein the at least one active load client includes atleast one programmable thermostat and the at least one grid elementincludes at least one Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC)system; and wherein the server confirms the demand response event inresponse to the at least one identification message.
 18. The system ofclaim 17, wherein the demand response server receives the raw data inapproximately 15-minute intervals.
 19. The system of claim 17, whereinthe at least one identification message is transmitted by the AMI. 20.The system of claim 17, wherein the raw data includes at least one ofmetrology data, location data, one or more grid element identifiers, atleast one software version, at least one firmware version, and/or atleast one priority for each of the at least one grid element.